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Added 9 October 2026

linger

/ˈlɪŋɡɚ/ verb

In Latin: moror, cunctor, sedeō Wiktionary

verb Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about linger at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Remain present although waning or gradually dying.
Her perfume lingered on
Be about.
The high school students like to loiter in the Central Square
Leave slowly and hesitantly.

Origin

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).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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