stem

[sash2008]

Please, I want to know the main difference between "root", "base" and "stem"
(please, with examples)

[Soup]

Hi sash2008

A root is a morpheme that cannot be analyzed into smaller parts. When affixes (prefixes, suffixes) are added, a root becomes a stem:

Derivation
believe <root>
believe+able <stem>


The base is that part of the word which is left unchanged in inflection:

Inflection
believe <root>
believes <root; -s = inflection>