free morpheme

noun

A morpheme that can carry meaning on its own, and does not require a prefix, suffix, or infix to give it meaning.

“Book is a free morpheme, but the -s on books is not, because -s carries no meaning until joined to a free morpheme.”

Similar
free form
Opposite
bound morpheme
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Meanings

nounfree morpheme (plural free morphemes)

plural free morphemes

  1. human sciencesA morpheme that can carry meaning on its own, and does not require a prefix, suffix, or infix to give it meaning.

    Book is a free morpheme, but the -s on books is not, because -s carries no meaning until joined to a free morpheme.

Synonyms & antonyms

Opposite
bound morpheme

nouna morpheme that can occur alone

Similar
free form
Broader
morpheme

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 自由語素 /自由语素
  • 自由語素 /自由语素 (zìyóuyǔsù)type of morpheme
Finnish vapaa morfeemi
  • vapaa morfeemitype of morpheme
French morphème libre
  • morphème libretype of morpheme
German freies Morphem
  • freies Morphemtype of morpheme
Japanese 自由形態素
  • 自由形態素 (jiyū keitaiso)type of morpheme
Polish morfem leksykalny
  • morfem leksykalnytype of morpheme
Vietnamese hình vị tự do
  • hình vị tự dotype of morpheme
Cite this entry
APA

free morpheme. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/free%20morpheme

MLA

“free morpheme.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/free%20morpheme. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “free morpheme,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/free%20morpheme.

Source: free morpheme on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.