The smallest unit of meaning in a word is known as what?

The smallest unit of meaning in a word is referred to as a morpheme. Morphemes are the building blocks of words and can exist as entire words themselves (free morphemes) or as parts of words that add meaning (bound morphemes). For example, in the word "unhappiness," "un-" is a bound morpheme that alters the meaning of "happy," while "happy" is a free morpheme that stands alone as a valid word.

Understanding morphemes is essential in the context of reading and language development, particularly for individuals with dyslexia, as recognizing these units can improve decoding skills and overall literacy. This knowledge helps learners break down complex words into manageable parts, enhancing their ability to comprehend and produce language effectively.

The other terms provided relate to aspects of language but do not specifically denote the smallest unit of meaning. Morphology refers to the study of morphemes and their combinations, phonemes are the smallest units of sound in a language, and lexeme refers to the abstract unit of meaning that corresponds to a specific word or set of related words.