In linguistics, what refers to the base part of a word?

The term that refers to the base part of a word is "root." A root is the fundamental part of a word that carries its primary meaning and can stand alone or be combined with prefixes and suffixes to create new words. For example, in the word "unhappiness," the root is "happy," which conveys the core meaning of the word.

Understanding the concept of a root is crucial in linguistics, as it helps in analyzing word formation and the relationships between different words. The root serves as a foundation upon which other forms of a word can be constructed, enabling the exploration of vocabulary and word structure more effectively. In contrast, a prefix is added to the beginning of a root, a suffix is added to the end, and a morpheme is a general term for the smallest unit of meaning, which can include roots, prefixes, and suffixes.