Polysynthetic Language

Definition

A polysynthetic language is a language in which words tend to consist of several morphemes.

(Yup’ik Inuit)

tuntussuqatarniksaitengqiggtuq

tuntu -ssur -qatar -ni -ksaite -ngqiggte -uq

reindeer -hunt -FUT -say -NEG -again -3SG:IND

'He had not yet said again that he was going to hunt reindeer.'

Contrast
	The opposite of a highly polysynthetic language is a highly isolating language.

More specific concepts within polysynthetic language.