What is the smallest component of a word that has semantic meaning called?

The smallest component of a word that has semantic meaning is called a morpheme.

Here's why:

* Morphemes are the basic units of meaning in a language. They can be words themselves (like "cat" or "run"), or they can be parts of words (like "un-" or "-ing").

* Phonemes are the basic units of sound in a language. They do not carry meaning on their own.

* Syllables are units of pronunciation that can contain multiple morphemes.

For example, the word "unbreakable" has three morphemes:

* un- (meaning "not")

* break (meaning "to separate")

* -able (meaning "capable of being")

Each morpheme contributes to the overall meaning of the word.