Which term correctly labels the smallest unit of meaning in a language?

Which term correctly labels the smallest unit of meaning in a language?

• A. Morpheme
• B. Phoneme
• C. Lexeme
• D. Syllable

Answer: (A)

Think about how language builds meaning in small pieces. The smallest unit of meaning is a morpheme. A morpheme is the tiniest piece that contributes semantic content to a word. Some stand alone as words (free morphemes) like “cat” or “break.” Others must stick to other pieces (bound morphemes), such as the plural suffix “-s” in “cats” or the prefix “un-” in “unhappy.” When you put several morphemes together, you can create more precise meanings—like “unhappiness,” which has “un-” (not), “happy,” and “-ness” (state of). Phonemes, by contrast, are about individual sounds and don’t carry meaning by themselves. A lexeme is a mental or dictionary-form representation of a word family (the core meaning at a higher level, with its inflected forms), not the smallest unit of meaning. A syllable is a unit of sound structure and rhythm, not a meaning-bearing unit. So, the correct term for the smallest unit of meaning is morpheme.

Think about how language builds meaning in small pieces. The smallest unit of meaning is a morpheme. A morpheme is the tiniest piece that contributes semantic content to a word. Some stand alone as words (free morphemes) like “cat” or “break.” Others must stick to other pieces (bound morphemes), such as the plural suffix “-s” in “cats” or the prefix “un-” in “unhappy.” When you put several morphemes together, you can create more precise meanings—like “unhappiness,” which has “un-” (not), “happy,” and “-ness” (state of).

Phonemes, by contrast, are about individual sounds and don’t carry meaning by themselves. A lexeme is a mental or dictionary-form representation of a word family (the core meaning at a higher level, with its inflected forms), not the smallest unit of meaning. A syllable is a unit of sound structure and rhythm, not a meaning-bearing unit. So, the correct term for the smallest unit of meaning is morpheme.