shorten
UK[ˈʃɔːtn]US[ˈʃɔːrtn]
v
To become shorter or to make something shorter.
v
To reduce the amount or duration of something.
Morpheme Breakdown
short
en
short
not long
en
verb-forming suffix
Etymology
The word "shorten" is a transparent Germanic formation. Its core, "short," descends from the Proto-Germanic skurtaz, which itself likely evolved from the Proto-Indo-European root (s)ker-, meaning "to cut." This ancient link reveals the original logic: something that is "short" is as if it has been cut down. The suffix "-en" is a productive Old English verb creator, attaching to adjectives to mean "to make or become [adjective]." Therefore, "shorten" literally means "to make short," a meaning that has remained consistent from its Old English origins to its modern applications in describing physical length, time duration, or abstract quantities.
Analysis
Structure: short (not long) + en (verb-forming suffix)
- short: From Old English scort, sceort, of Germanic origin, meaning "not long" or "brief." It functions as the core adjective root.
- en: A verb-forming suffix from Old English -nian, used to form verbs from adjectives or nouns, meaning "to make or become."
Examples
The tailor will shorten the sleeves of this jacket.
The days begin to shorten after the summer solstice.
The company decided to shorten the meeting to save time.