Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “lifelong” come from?

Lifelong derives from English life and Old English lang, both meaning "long," combined through Middle English lif to express duration extending throughout one's entire existence.

lifelong (English): Extending for the entire duration of life

Definitions

  1. Extending for the entire duration of life

Ancestry of “lifelong”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1English-longForms adjectives indicating duration when...
2EnglishlongHaving much distance from one terminating point...
3EnglishlongitudeAngular distance measured west or east of the...
4Old Frenchlongitude—
5Latinlongitūdō—
6Latinlongusfar, long; extended, prolonged; long; tedious,...
7Latin-ē—
8Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
9Latincalceusshoe
10Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
11Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →