linger
/ˈlɪŋɡɚ/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.31 in modern English
7
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
verb
To stay or remain in a place or situation, especially as if unwilling to depart or not easily able to do so.
Intransitive verb
verb
To remain alive or existent although still proceeding toward death or extinction; to die gradually.
Intransitive verb
verb
To consider or contemplate for a period of time; to engage in analytic thinking or discussion.
Intransitive verb
name
A surname.
Example Sentences
- "Still more foole I ſhall appeare / By the time I linger here"
- "His tone lingered in the air, almost like the tone of a musical instrument."
- "She lingered in the window until the windy sunset died in bat-colored dusk; then, going to bed, she lay sleepless all night."
- "Stars fading but I linger on, dear / Still craving your kiss / I'm longin' to linger till dawn, dear / Just saying this"
- "It takes into account […] predictions of how long radioactive contaminants will linger in the soil and water near the nuclear facility."
- "Mrs. Clinton’s main opponent, Senator Bernie Sanders, a self-described Democratic Socialist, has proved to be more formidable than most people, including Mrs. Clinton, anticipated. He has brought income inequality and the lingering pain of the middle class to center stage and pushed Mrs. Clinton a bit more to the left than she might have gone on economic issues."
Etymology
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).
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈlɪŋɡɚ/
- British English: /ˈlɪŋɡə/