in linguistics, noted as an active suffix and word-formation element from 1953; from French -ème "unit, sound," from phonème (see phoneme).
Entries linking to -eme
phoneme n.
"distinctive sound or group of sounds," 1889, from French phonème, from Greek phōnēma "a sound made, voice," from phōnein "to sound or speak," from phōnē "sound, voice" (from PIE root *bha- (2) "to speak, tell, say"). Related: Phonematic.
grapheme n.
1937, apparently coined by U.S. linguistics professor William Freeman Twaddell (1906-1982), from graph "letter, symbol" (see -graphy) + -eme "unit of language structure." Related: Graphemic.