linge

The story

1. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*langijaną“to make long”
2. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*langijan
3. Old English · inherited fromlenġan“to make long, lengthen”
4. Middle English · inherited fromlengen“to linger”
5. English todaylinge

From Middle English lengen (“to linger”), from Old English lenġan (“to make long, lengthen”), from Proto-West Germanic *langijan, from Proto-Germanic *langijaną (“to make long”). Cognate with Scots ling (“to lengthen, prolong, delay; tarry, continue”). More at linger.

Words from the same roots