Definition

A basic unit of a writing system, such as a letter or a combination of letters that represent a sound.

Example

In the word 'cat', the letters 'c', 'a', and 't' are all graphemes.

Conversation

Have you ever thought about how many different graphemes there are in English?

Not really, but I know some letters can represent the same sound.

Exactly! Like how 'c' and 'k' can both be graphemes for the /k/ sound.

Right, it’s fascinating how our writing system works.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Grapheme → It is formed from 'grapho-' (from Greek 'grapho', meaning to write) and '-eme' (from Greek 'eme', meaning a unit). The word 'grapheme' refers to the smallest unit of a writing system, essentially a written symbol.

Memory Tip

Think of 'writing' ('grapho-') as the action and 'unit' ('-eme') as a single piece — a grapheme is a single written symbol in a language.

Visually Confused Words