Morphemes in “unlikely”
“unlikely” has 3 morphemes: un- + like + -ly.
un
prefix
+
like
root
+
ly
suffix
Spelling changes when the parts join: the boxes show the letters as written; the morphemes themselves are un- + like + -ly.
Each morpheme explained
| Morpheme | Type | Free / bound | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| un- | derivational prefix | bound | not, opposite of; reverse the action |
| like | free root | free | prefer or wish to do something |
| -ly | derivational suffix | bound | like, having the qualities of (friendly); every (daily) |
How the word is built
like → likely → unlikely
Each step adds one affix to the word before it; the root “like” 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 "unlikely"?
"unlikely" has three morphemes: un- + like + -ly.
How do you break "unlikely" into morphemes?
un- + like + -ly. The root is "like"; un- is a derivational prefix, -ly is a derivational suffix.
What is the root word of "unlikely"?
The root of "unlikely" is "like", built up as like → likely → unlikely.
Is this morphology tool free?
Yes. The Fixie morphological analyzer is free with no signup and runs in your browser.