A word that can stand alone and to which prefixes and suffixes can be added is called a

• A. Base word
• B. Root word
• C. Stem
• D. Morpheme

Answer: (A)

A base word is a complete word that can stand on its own and also take prefixes and suffixes to form new related words. This makes it the starting point for derivation, as shown with the word “play,” which can become “replay,” “playful,” or “playfulness.” A root word is the core form from which derivatives are built and often cannot stand alone as a word; a stem is the form that affixes attach to (which may or may not be a standalone word); and a morpheme is the smallest meaningful unit, which can be either free or bound. So the term that fits the described property is base word.