long

The word “long” means measuring a great distance from end to end. In plain terms, describes something that stretches a great distance or takes a great amount of time; as a verb, to yearn for something.

“Long” is pronounced long (/lɑŋ/ in IPA).

Here is “long” used in a sentence: “They walked down a long corridor to reach the office.”

Words with a similar meaning to “long” include lengthful, lengthsome, longsome and prolix.

The opposite of “long” — its antonyms — are short and wide.

Depending on how it is used, “long” can be an adjective, a verb and an adverb.

The word “long” comes from Latin. From Old English long, lang ("long, tall, lasting"), from Proto-Germanic *langaz, ultimately from a very old Indo-European root also behind Latin longus.

“Long” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

Both describe great length, but in different directions. 'Long' measures distance from end to end, usually horizontally — a long road or a long table. 'Tall' measures height, from bottom to top — a tall building or a tall person. You would call a snake long but a tree tall, depending on how each one extends.

The main opposite is 'short.' A long road is the reverse of a short one, whether you mean physical distance or duration. Depending on context, other contrasts work too: 'brief' for time, or 'compact' and 'small' for size. But 'short' is the standard antonym in almost every everyday use.

Yes. Although its core meaning is physical distance from end to end, 'long' also describes duration — a long wait, a long film, a long time ago. In both senses it signals that something extends far, whether across space or through time. Context makes clear which kind of length is meant.