Dictionary

lengthy en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (US) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree English length Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Germanic *-gaz Proto-West Germanic *-g Old English -iġ Middle English -y English -y English lengthy From length + -y.

Meanings

1. Having length; long and overextended, especially in time rather than dimension.
   • They traced the ancient lineages of two species to reveal the insects' lengthy history of asexual reproduction. 2011 July 19, Ella Davies, “Sticks insects survive one million years without sex”, in BBC:
   • a lengthy discussion
   • a laborious and lengthy process
   • Without the help of the IEEPA, the Trump administration would have to take a slower approach, launching lengthier trade investigations and abiding by other trade laws to back the tariff threats. 2025 May 29, Kalyeena Makortoff, “US federal court blocks Trump from imposing sweeping tariffs”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
   • She died last night after a lengthy illness.
   • They received lengthy prison terms.
   • “In light of the current state of our country, I struggled to find the right words of wisdom for you today,” Obama says in her lengthiest public remarks to date about the protests taking place in the wake of the killing of George Floyd. 2020 June 7, Kate Bennett, “Michelle Obama to 2020 graduates: ‘For those of you who feel invisible: Please know that your story matters’”, in CNN:
   • a lengthy text
2. Speaking or writing at length; long-winded.
   • If, in addition to being a lengthy preacher, he had also been a Rev. Mr. Mumbles or a Rev. Dr. Drone, the penance thus endured by his people would have been intolerably severe. 1863, John Cumming, Driftwood, seaweed and fallen leaves, volume 1, page 92:

Forms

Deriveds

lengthiness · lengthily

Relateds

lengthful · lengthsome · lengthish

Translations (34)

bg проточен (long of time) · it lento (long of time) · de lang (long of time) · de ausgedehnt (long of time) · de langwierig (long of time) · eo longaĉa (long of time) · mi tautini (long of time) · fr longuet (long of time) · mi taumano (long of time) · ru многоречи́вый (long-winded) · ckb دوور ودرێژ (long of time) · hu hosszadalmas (long of time) · sv lång (long of time) · sv långvarig (long of time) · it esteso (long of time) · tr upuzun (long in physical distance) · de ellenlang (long of time) · fr long (long of time) · mi tūroa (long of time) · ru простра́нный (long-winded) · bg многословен (long-winded) · it lungo (long of time) · mi roa (long in physical distance) · pt extensível (long of time) · ru дли́тельный (long of time) · sv utdragen (long of time) · bg твърде дълъг (long in physical distance) · pt extenso (long of time) · de langanhaltend (long of time) · ota اوزون (long of time) · ru многосло́вный (long-winded) · de langdauernd (long of time) · cs zdlouhavý (long of time) · mi whāroa (long in physical distance)