loiter
UK[ˈlɔɪtə(r)]US[ˈlɔɪtər]
v
To stand or wait somewhere, especially in a public place, with no real purpose or activity.
v
To move slowly or keep stopping when you should be going somewhere.
Etymology
The verb 'loiter' entered Middle English from Middle Dutch loteren, meaning 'to wag about' or 'to be loose'. This Dutch term is likely related to words implying idleness or laxity. The core semantic thread connects the physical idea of moving slowly, aimlessly, or being unsteady to the modern abstract meaning of lingering without purpose. Over centuries, its connotation shifted from general dawdling to often carrying a slight implication of suspicious or disapproved idling in a public space.
Analysis
The word 'loiter' is a simplex word of Middle English origin. It does not contain separable, productive morphemes in modern English that are direct substrings of the current spelling.
Examples
A group of teenagers were loitering outside the convenience store.
Don't loiter in the hallway; proceed directly to your classroom.
Security asked the man to move along, as he had been loitering near the entrance for over an hour.