# morphological

/ˌmɔɹfəˈɫɑdʒɪkəɫ/ (US) · /mˌɔːfəlˈɒdʒɪkəl/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/morphological
Updated: 2026-05-08

## Definition

relating to the form or structure of things. In biology, it describes the shape of plants or animals, and in language, it describes how words are built from smaller parts.

For teachers: relating to the form or structure of organisms or linguistic units. In linguistics, it concerns the internal structure of words and the rules by which they are formed.

## Examples

- The two birds have many morphological similarities.
- Linguists study morphological changes to understand how a language evolves over hundreds of years.
- The researcher noted several morphological differences between the urban and rural populations of the species, suggesting that the city environment had influenced their physical development.

## Usage notes

- Typically used in academic or scientific contexts; often precedes the noun it modifies.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.