Where does “longing” come from?

Longing comes from Middle English langynge, from Old English langung, the -ung suffix added to Old English lang, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European lengʷʰ-, meaning to be long or protracted.

longing (English): present participle of long; An earnest and deep,...

Definitions

  1. present participle of long; An earnest and deep,...

Ancestry of “longing”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishlongynge—
2Old Englishlangiende—
3Proto-Germaniclangōndz—
4Proto-GermaniclangōnąTo desire; long for
5Proto-Indo-Europeanlengʷʰ-light, agile, nimble; light, not heavy, agile,...

Words derived from “longing”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European lengʷʰ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic langōną →Every word from Proto-Germanic langōndz →