long-lasting

The compound adjective 'long-lasting' is a tautological reinforcement built from two Germanic roots with overlapping meanings of duration and endurance. The first element, 'long', derives from the Proto-Germanic langaz, carrying the core sense of extended length in both space and time. The second element, 'lasting', originates from the Old English verb lǣstan, meaning 'to follow a course, persist, or endure', itself from a Germanic base related to a footprint or track, implying continuation. Their combination in Early Modern English created a powerful, emphatic descriptor for durability, where 'long' intensifies the enduring quality inherent in 'lasting', logically evolving to describe anything that remains effective or stable over an extended period.

Structure: long (enduring) + lasting (continuing) - long: From Old English lang, long, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch lang and German lang. Functions as an adjective/adverb meaning 'extended in duration'. - lasting: From Old English lǣstan 'to continue, endure', of Germanic origin; related to Dutch lasten and German lasten. The suffix -ing forms the present participle, here used adjectivally to mean 'continuing'.