këkë

Kökü is a Turkish noun form meaning the root or origin of something, typically referring to the base morpheme of a word or the underground part of a plant. The base word kök means root and can take a possessive suffix -ü to yield kökü, meaning “its root” or “the root of it.” In Turkish linguistics, kökü is used to discuss word formation, etymology, and morphological structure; in botany, it refers to the root system beneath the soil. The form is productive in ordinary language as well, where speakers talk about origins, ancestry, or lineage in figurative senses.

Etymology: The word kök derives from Turkish, with cognates across Turkic languages, from a common root meaning base or stem. The suffix -ü marks possession for third-person singular, giving kökü meaning “its root.” The term appears in academic discussions of morphology as well as in everyday speech about origins.

Usage: In linguistics, kökü is used when identifying the base morpheme of a word (for example, the root of görmek is gör-). In botany, kök refers to the subterranean part that absorbs water and anchors the plant. In metaphorical language, it can refer to someone’s origins or the cultural roots of a tradition.

Examples: This word’s root is gör-. Bitkinin kökü toprak altında bulunur.

See also: Kök, Etymology, Morphology, Turkish language.