longing C2+ Topic:Word Formation & Derivatives US /ˈlɔŋɪŋ/ UK /ˈlɒŋɪŋ/ See IPA manual Meanings 1 noun a strong, persistent yearning or desire She gazed at the photograph with unmistakable longing. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 noun · a strong, persistent... yearningcravingdesirehankeringpiningachewistfulness ↔ Opposites indifferenceaversioncontentment Word family Forms longingly Derived forms longingly Related forms longbelong Etymology AI details From the verb long ('to yearn', from Old English langian 'to grow long, yearn for', from lang 'long') + the noun-forming suffix -ing. langian Old English lang Old English View etymology graph -> Topics Word Formation & Derivatives General Vocabulary External links Google Images Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary # longing **Type:** Word **Level:** C2+ **Part of speech:** noun **IPA (US):** /ˈlɔŋɪŋ/ **IPA (UK):** /ˈlɒŋɪŋ/ ## Meanings 1. a strong, persistent yearning or desire ## Examples - She gazed at the photograph with unmistakable longing. ## Synonyms - yearning - craving - desire - hankering - pining - ache - wistfulness ## Antonyms - indifference - aversion - contentment ## Derived Forms - longingly ## Related Forms - long - belong ## Roots and Affixes - Root: langian - Root: lang ## Etymology From the verb long ('to yearn', from Old English langian 'to grow long, yearn for', from lang 'long') + the noun-forming suffix -ing. ## AI Etymology Longing comes from the verb long ('to yearn', from Old English langian 'to grow long, yearn for', from lang 'long') + the noun-forming suffix -ing. The suffix is part of the word's derivational shape, marking the final grammatical or semantic role while the base supplies the central meaning. As a noun and adjective, it denotes "a strong, persistent yearning or desire", keeping the historical idea close to its dictionary sense. Relevant historical forms include Old English langian and Old English lang. Derivative forms include longingly; related words include long, belong. ## Topics - Word Formation & Derivatives - General Vocabulary markdown