Which term describes the smallest unit of meaning in language?

The term that describes the smallest unit of meaning in language is "morpheme." Morphemes are the building blocks of words and can be either free or bound. A free morpheme can stand alone as a word with meaning, such as "book" or "run." In contrast, a bound morpheme cannot stand alone and is often a prefix or suffix, like "un-" in "unknown" or "-ed" in "coded." This distinction makes morphemes essential in understanding how words are formed and convey meaning within a language.

Syllables, although important for the rhythm and flow of speech, do not convey meaning on their own. Phonemes are the smallest individual sounds in a language, which do not hold meaning by themselves but combine to create morphemes and words. Lexemes refer to the abstract unit of meaning that includes all forms of a word (like "run," "runs," and "running"), but they are not the smallest units; rather, they contain multiple morphemes. Therefore, the designation of morpheme as the smallest unit of meaning highlights its foundational role in language structure.