semanteme

noun

se·​man·​teme

sə̇ˈmanˌtēm

plural -s

: a word (as the noun dog, the verb run, the adjective new, the concrete adverb fast) or a base (as Latin can- in canis "dog", curr- in currere "to run", nov- in novus "new") that expresses a definite image or idea

—distinguished from morpheme

Word History

Etymology

French sémantème, from sémant- (from sémantique semantic, semantics) + -ème -eme

First Known Use

1922, in the meaning defined above

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!