root word

Found in Anh - Anh (Wordnet)

Definition Noun : 1. (Linguistics) The base form of a word; the simplest form of a word from which other words are derived by adding prefixes or suffixes. It is the core unit that carries the fundamental meaning. For example, in the words "unhappiness," "happily," and "happy," the root word is "happy." Usage The term "root word" is used in linguistic analysis and language learning to identify t...