Morphemes in “research”
“research” has 2 morphemes: re- + search.
re
prefix
+
search
root
Spelling changes when the parts join: the boxes show the letters as written; the morphemes themselves are re- + search.
Each morpheme explained
| Morpheme | Type | Free / bound | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| re- | derivational prefix | bound | again, back |
| search | free root | free | the activity of looking thoroughly in order to find something or someone |
How the word is built
search → research
Each step adds one affix to the word before it; the root “search” 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 "research"?
"research" has two morphemes: re- + search.
How do you break "research" into morphemes?
re- + search. The root is "search"; re- is a derivational prefix.
What is the root word of "research"?
The root of "research" is "search", built up as search → research.
Is this morphology tool free?
Yes. The Fixie morphological analyzer is free with no signup and runs in your browser.