Definition

Describing a type of language structure where multiple grammatical elements are combined into a single form, making it hard to separate them.

Example

Languages like Spanish and Russian are considered fusional because they combine several grammatical features into one word.

Conversation

I was reading about different languages, and I came across something called fusional morphology.

Oh, really? What does that mean exactly?

It means that in some languages, they combine multiple morphemes in a way that's hard to separate.

That sounds interesting! I guess it makes learning those languages a bit tricky.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Fusional → It is formed from "fus-" (from Latin "fundere", meaning to pour or melt) and "-al" (a suffix used to form adjectives meaning relating to). The word "fusional" refers to something that relates to the act of pouring or melting, often used in linguistic contexts to describe a type of morphology where affixes are fused with roots.

Memory Tip

Think of 'pouring' ('fus-') something into a mold to create a shape — that's why 'fusional' relates to the blending or merging of elements.

Visually Confused Words