English
linger
Linger comes from Middle English lengeren ‘to reside, dwell’, from Old English lenġan ‘to lengthen, delay, extend’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dlongʰos ‘long’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dlongʰos‘long’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*langaz‘long’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*langijaną‘to lengthen, make long’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*langijan‘to lengthen, make long’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150lenġan‘to lengthen, delay, extend’next step skipped: Middle English lengere
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500lengeren‘to reside, dwell’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1596–1598linger
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dlongʰos‘long’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*langaz‘long’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*langijaną‘to lengthen, make long’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*langijan‘to lengthen, make long’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150lenġan‘to lengthen, delay, extend’next step skipped: Middle English lengere
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500lengeren‘to reside, dwell’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1596–1598linger
Earliest quotation: c. 1596–1598, William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice: “Still more foole I ſhall appeare / By the…”
Formed from long + -er
Proto-Indo-European *dlongʰos ‘long’
Proto-Germanic *langaz ‘long’
Proto-West Germanic *lang ‘long’
Old English lang ‘long, tall, lasting’
Middle English long
English long
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *dlongʰos ‘long’
along, longer, longitude, longitudinal, oblong, elongate, elongation, lunge, longus, longe, 15 more
through Proto-Germanic *langaz ‘long’
Today it means
verb To stay or remain in a place or situation, especially as if unwilling to depart or not easily able to do so.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *dlongʰos / linger