linger

The story

1. Proto-Germanic · derived from*langijaną
2. Proto-West Germanic · derived from*langijan
3. Old English · derived fromlenġan“to lengthen, delay, extend”
4. Middle English · inherited fromlengeren
5. English todaylinger

From Middle English lengeren, frequentative of lengen (“to stay, dwell, tarry”), from Old English lenġan (“to lengthen, delay, extend”), from Proto-West Germanic *langijan, from Proto-Germanic *langijaną (compare West Frisian lingje (“to linger”), Dutch lengen, German längen, Icelandic lengja (“to lengthen”)), related to the root of English long. Equivalent to linge or long + -er (frequentative verb suffix).

Words from the same roots