woid

Noun

word (countable and uncountable, plural words)

1. The smallest unit of language that has a particular meaning and can be expressed by itself; the smallest discrete, meaningful unit of language. (contrast morpheme.)
   • But every word, whether written or spoken, which urges the woman to antagonism against the man, every word which is written or spoken to try and make of her a hybrid, self-contained opponent of men, makes a rift in the lute to which the world looks for its sweetest music.1897, Ouida, “The New Woman”, in An Altruist and Four Essays, page 239
   1. The smallest discrete unit of spoken language with a particular meaning, composed of one or more phonemes and one or more morphemes.
      • Then all was silent save the voice of the high priest, whose words grew louder and louder, […]1894, Alex. R. Mackwen, “The Samaritan Passover”, in Littell's Living Age, volume 1, number 6
   2. The smallest discrete unit of written language with a particular meaning, composed of one or more letters or symbols and one or more morphemes.
      • Polonius: What do you read, my lord?
        Hamlet: Words, words, words.c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac...
   3. A discrete, meaningful unit of language approved by an authority or native speaker (compare non-word).
      • “Ain’t! How often am I to tell you ain’t ain’t a word?”1896, Israel Zangwill, Without Prejudice, page 21
   4. A sign used in a sign language.
2. A sequence of letters, characters, or sounds, considered as a discrete entity, though it does not necessarily belong to a language or have a meaning.
   • In still another variation, the nonsense word is presented and the teacher asks, "What sound was in the beginning of the word?" "In the middle?" and so on. The child should always respond with the phoneme; he should not use letter labels.1974, Thinking Goes to School: Piaget's Theory in Practice, →ISBN, page 183

See all 33 meanings of word