The most basic part of a word that retains meaning is called a?

The most basic part of a word that retains meaning is called a morpheme.

Here's why:

* Morphemes are the smallest units of meaning in a language. They can be whole words (like "cat" or "run") or parts of words (like the "-ing" in "running").

* Words can be made up of one or more morphemes. For example, the word "unbreakable" is made up of three morphemes: "un-" (meaning not), "break" (meaning to separate), and "-able" (meaning capable of being).

Let me know if you'd like more examples!