long
UK[lɒŋ]US[lɔːŋ]
adj
Measuring a great distance from end to end
adj
Lasting or taking a great amount of time
adv
For a long time
v
To have a strong desire for something
Etymology
The modern English word 'long' descends directly from the Old English 'lang' or 'long', which carried the same core meaning of great length or duration. This Old English term finds its origin in the Proto-Germanic 'langaz', a concept shared across many Germanic languages. The root can be traced further back to the Proto-Indo-European 'dlongʰos', which is also the ancestor of the Latin 'longus'. The semantic journey is remarkably consistent, with the fundamental idea of physical extension and temporal persistence remaining intact from its ancient Indo-European root to its current abstract and figurative uses.
Analysis
The word 'long' is a simplex word derived from Old English 'lang, long'. Its functional role is as a base adjective, adverb, and verb.
Examples
The Amazon River is one of the longest in the world.
We had to wait a long time for the results.
She longed for the peaceful days of her childhood.