prolong
UK[prəˈlɒŋ]US[prəˈlɔːŋ]
v
to make something last longer
v
to lengthen in extent or duration
Morpheme Breakdown
pro
long
pro
forward
long
long
Etymology
the word "prolong" entered english in the late 14th century from the old french "prolonguer", which itself derived from the late latin "prolongare", meaning "to lengthen, extend". this latin verb is a compound of the prefix "pro-", signifying "forward" or "forth", and the adjective "longus", meaning "long". the literal sense is thus "to lengthen forward" in time or space. the semantic logic is direct and has remained stable: the action of causing something to continue for a greater length of time, effectively stretching its duration forward from a given point.
Analysis
Structure: pro (forward) + long (long)
pro- (prefix of latin origin, meaning "forward, forth, in favor of"); long (root of latin origin, from 'longus', meaning "long")
Examples
they took measures to prolong the battery life of the device.
the treatment can prolong survival by several months.
he prolonged his stay in the city to finish his research.