Morphemes in “abnormal”
“abnormal” has 3 morphemes: ab- + norm + -al.
ab
prefix
+
norm
root
+
al
suffix
Spelling changes when the parts join: the boxes show the letters as written; the morphemes themselves are ab- + norm + -al.
Each morpheme explained
| Morpheme | Type | Free / bound | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| ab- | derivational prefix | bound | away from |
| norm | free root | free | a standard or model or pattern regarded as typical |
| -al | derivational suffix | bound | relating to, of the kind of |
How the word is built
norm → normal → abnormal
Each step adds one affix to the word before it; the root “norm” is where the chain starts.
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Segmentation derived from MorphyNet (Batsuren, Bella & Giunchiglia, 2021; CC BY-SA 3.0, built from Wiktionary), with hand-written affix glosses and root meanings from WordNet. Reviewed for classroom use; tell us if you spot an error.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many morphemes are in "abnormal"?
"abnormal" has three morphemes: ab- + norm + -al.
How do you break "abnormal" into morphemes?
ab- + norm + -al. The root is "norm"; ab- is a derivational prefix, -al is a derivational suffix.
What is the root word of "abnormal"?
The root of "abnormal" is "norm", built up as norm → normal → abnormal.
Is this morphology tool free?
Yes. The Fixie morphological analyzer is free with no signup and runs in your browser.