Definition of linger

The word "linger" comes from the Middle English word "lingen," which means "to delay" or "to tarry." This word, in turn, is derived from the Old English "hlengan," which combines the prefix "hlē(o)" meaning "slowly" or "carelessly," with the verb "hangan" meaning "to hang" or "to stay." The original meaning of "linger" in Middle English was "to hang around (a place) for a long time without any apparent intention or purpose." This meaning still persists today, as "to linger" is often used to describe someone lingering in a place for too long, or a feeling that refuses to fade away or pass quickly. Another Middle English word, "longen," derived from the Old English "hlāw(an)," which means "to feel desire" or "to long for," provided the origin for the prefix "long-" often found in words now associated with "linger," such as "lingerie," which comes from the French "laingerie" meaning "underwear" or "intimate apparel," which evolved from the Medieval French verb "linger" meaning "to delay" or "to linger." Therefore, the development of "linger" from its etymological roots connects it to notions of sluggishness, desire, and delay – ideas that are still central to our understanding of the word today.