Word: Definition, Linguistic Properties, and Examples

A word is the smallest free form in a language that carries meaning and can stand alone in an utterance. In writing, words are typically separated by spaces.

Linguistic Characteristics

• Phonological form – Pronunciation (phonemes).
• Morphological structure – Root + affixes (e.g., un-happy-ness).
• Syntactic category – Noun, verb, adjective, etc.
• Semantic content – Lexical meaning, sense relations (synonymy, antonymy).
• Orthographic representation – Spelling.

Example Analysis

Sentence: “He’s always the last word when it comes to decisions.”

• Word = “word” (noun, singular).
• Meaning = Final authority or decisive opinion (idiomatic).
• Morphology – Monomorphemic.
• Phonology – /wɜːrd/.

Words combine into phrases, clauses, and sentences via syntax.