Definition

The smallest unit in a sentence that has a specific grammatical function.

Example

In the sentence, the tagmeme indicates the role of the word within the structure.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of the term tagmeme?

No, I haven’t! What does it mean?

It's actually a small part of grammar that helps in sentence structure, like a building block.

That sounds interesting! I’ll look it up.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

The word 'tagmeme' is a modern term that combines 'tag' (from Old Norse 'tagga', meaning to touch or mark) and 'meme' (coined by Richard Dawkins from the Greek 'mimeme', meaning that which is imitated). The term refers to a unit of cultural information that is tagged or marked for sharing and imitation.

Memory Tip

Think of 'tag' as marking something and 'meme' as a piece of culture that is imitated. Together, 'tagmeme' represents a marked piece of cultural information that can be shared and imitated.

Visually Confused Words