A linguistic unit incapable of standing alone as a word is known as a bound morpheme. This element necessitates attachment to another morpheme to convey meaning. Affixes, such as prefixes (e.g., un- in unhappy), suffixes (e.g., -ing in walking), and infixes (inserted within a base word, common in some languages but rare in English), serve as prime examples. These components contribute grammatical or semantic information to the base word.
The significance of these dependent units lies in their ability to alter or refine the meaning of the words they attach to. They are crucial for grammatical accuracy and semantic nuance in language. Historically, the study of these units has been central to understanding word formation processes and the evolution of languages.
