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Definiton
the explanation or description of what a thing is, or what a word/phrase means/has meant.
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Etymology
Origin and analysis of a word as shown by breaking it down into its constituent historical elements. "the study of the true/real meaning of a word"
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Affix
collective term for prefixes, suffixes, and infixes.
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Root/Base
the central element of a word which is left after the removal of all affixes.
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Prefix
one or more letters or syllables placed at the beginning of a word to modify it meaning.
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Assimilation
process by which adjacent sounds (usually consonants) acquire similar/identical characteristics.
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Euphony
tendency toward greater ease of pronunciation resulting in combinative changes, largely due to speed and economy of utterance.
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Vowel Gradation
a change in the internal vowel of a base, often went he base is prefixed.
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Acronym
an abbreviation that spells a word or pronounceable unit.
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Back Formation
the creation of simpler forms from more complex forms, usually by the removal of an affix.
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Apheresis
The elimination of the first letter or syllable of a word.
- -aphesis (loss of the first syllable of a word)
- -syncope (loss of syllabel in the middle of a word)
- -Apocope (loss of a syllable at the end of a word)
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Cognate
a word having the same linguistic derivation as another; from the same original word/root
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Derivative
process of forming a new word from an existing word.
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Doublets
a Latin base has entered English twice; once from Latin and once from French
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