Bound Form (Noun)
Meaning
A morpheme that occurs only as part of a larger construction; eg an -s at the end of plural nouns.
Classification
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.
Examples
- The plural morpheme -s is a bound form because it can only occur as part of a larger word.
- In the word "happiness", both "happi-" and "-ness" are bound forms, as they cannot occur on their own.
- The past tense morpheme -ed is a bound form, as it can only be used when attached to a verb.
- In the word "unbreakable", "un-" and "-able" are both bound forms that must be attached to a root word.
- The prefix "re-" is a bound form because it cannot occur as a standalone word, only as part of a larger construction.