Where does “linger” come from?
Linger derives from Middle English lenger and lengen, from Old Norse lengja, from Proto-Germanic langaz, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European dl̥h₁gʰós meaning long.
linger (English): To stay or remain in a place or situation,...
Definitions
- To stay or remain in a place or situation,...
Ancestry of “linger”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | lengeren | — |
| 2 | Middle English | lengen | to tarry; to linger |
| 3 | Old English | lengan | to make long, lengthen |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | langijaną | to lengthen, make long |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | langaz | long |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | dlongʰos | long |
Words derived from “linger”