- Definition
A morpheme is the smallest part of a word that still has its own meaning. For example, in the word "unbreakable," "un-", "break", and "-able" are all morphemes.
The word 'dogs' has two morphemes: 'dog' (the animal) and 's' (meaning more than one).
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: A morpheme is like a Lego brick — you can use one brick by itself, or you can snap them together to build bigger words.
Ask your child: What two parts do you hear in the word 'cats'?
Common mix-up: Kids often confuse morphemes with syllables or sounds. A morpheme is a chunk of meaning, not just a sound.
Examples
- In 'redo,' the morpheme 're-' means 'do again.'
- In 'jumping,' the morpheme '-ing' means it is happening now.
- The word 'cupcake' has two morphemes: 'cup' and 'cake.'
morpheme is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
