Morphemes in “unforgivable”
“unforgivable” has 3 morphemes: un- + forgive + -able.
un
prefix
+
forgiv
root
+
able
suffix
Spelling changes when the parts join: the boxes show the letters as written; the morphemes themselves are un- + forgive + -able.
Each morpheme explained
| Morpheme | Type | Free / bound | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| un- | derivational prefix | bound | not, opposite of; reverse the action |
| forgive (written forgiv) | free root | free | stop blaming or grant forgiveness |
| -able | derivational suffix | bound | capable of being; having the quality of |
How the word is built
forgive → forgivable → unforgivable
Each step adds one affix to the word before it; the root “forgive” is where the chain starts.
Break any word into morphemes
Prefixes, roots and suffixes with glosses, free and in your browser.
Open the morphological analyzer →Related words
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 "unforgivable"?
"unforgivable" has three morphemes: un- + forgive + -able.
How do you break "unforgivable" into morphemes?
un- + forgive + -able. The root is "forgive"; un- is a derivational prefix, -able is a derivational suffix.
What is the root word of "unforgivable"?
The root of "unforgivable" is "forgive", built up as forgive → forgivable → unforgivable.
Is this morphology tool free?
Yes. The Fixie morphological analyzer is free with no signup and runs in your browser.