prolong

C2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /pɹoʊˈlɔŋ/ UK /pɹəʊˈlɒŋ/ See IPA manual

Freq #20004

Meanings

1

verb
To make something last longer; to extend its duration.

The treatment helped to prolong the patient's life by several years.
2

verb
To delay something or put it off to a later time.

There is no point in prolonging the decision any further.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to make something last... extenddraw outlengthen

2 verb · to delay something or put... postpone delay

Word family

Forms prolongedprolongingprolongs

Derived forms prolongableprolongateprolongationprolongerprolonginglyprolongment

Etymology

Either a back-formation from prolongation, or from Old French prolonguer or porloignier, from Latin prōlongō, from prō + longō. Doublet of purloin.

*per- Proto-Indo-European prolonguer Old French prōlongō Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# prolong

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /pɹoʊˈlɔŋ/
**IPA (UK):** /pɹəʊˈlɒŋ/
**Frequency rank:** 20004

## Meanings
1. To make something last longer; to extend its duration.
2. To delay something or put it off to a later time.

## Examples
- The treatment helped to prolong the patient's life by several years.
- There is no point in prolonging the decision any further.

## Derived Forms
- prolongable
- prolongate
- prolongation
- prolonger
- prolongingly
- prolongment

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *per-
- Root: prolonguer
- Root: prōlongō

## Etymology
Either a back-formation from prolongation, or from Old French prolonguer or porloignier, from Latin prōlongō, from prō + longō. Doublet of purloin.

## AI Etymology
Prolong is either a back-formation from prolongation, or from Old French prolonguer or porloignier, from Latin prōlongō, from prō + longō. Doublet of purloin. The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern verbal form is built from the named base and affix. Important recorded forms include *per- (Proto-Indo-European), prolonguer (Old French), and prōlongō (Latin). Current senses include to make something last longer; to extend its duration and to delay something or put it off to a later time. The wider family includes derived forms such as prolongable, prolongate, prolongation, prolonger, and prolongingly.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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