Morphemes in “nonexistent”
“nonexistent” has 3 morphemes: non- + exist + -ent.
non
prefix
+
exist
root
+
ent
suffix
Spelling changes when the parts join: the boxes show the letters as written; the morphemes themselves are non- + exist + -ent.
Each morpheme explained
| Morpheme | Type | Free / bound | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| non- | derivational prefix | bound | not |
| exist | free root | free | have an existence, be extant |
| -ent | derivational suffix | bound | doing or causing; a person or thing that does |
How the word is built
exist → existent → nonexistent
Each step adds one affix to the word before it; the root “exist” 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 "nonexistent"?
"nonexistent" has three morphemes: non- + exist + -ent.
How do you break "nonexistent" into morphemes?
non- + exist + -ent. The root is "exist"; non- is a derivational prefix, -ent is a derivational suffix.
What is the root word of "nonexistent"?
The root of "nonexistent" is "exist", built up as exist → existent → nonexistent.
Is this morphology tool free?
Yes. The Fixie morphological analyzer is free with no signup and runs in your browser.