Lengthy

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Extended or prolonged in duration or physical extent, taking more time or space than is usual or desirable
2. Characterized by a considerable or excessive amount of time or physical space, often to the point of being tedious or burdensome
3. Representing a degree of duration or extent that goes beyond what is typical or convenient, often leading to a feeling of overload

Etymology: "Lengthy" is a plain formation: the noun "length" with the suffix "-y," which turns a noun into an adjective meaning "having or characterized by" the thing named. So "lengthy" literally means "having length," and in use it came to mean "long to the point of being tiresome," as in a lengthy speech or a lengthy wait. The suffix itself has deep roots. It descends from an Old English ending "-ig," which traces back through Proto-Germanic to a Proto-Indo-European ancestor, and it has been productive in English ever since, attaching to countless nouns such as "windy," "hairy," and "bloody." The noun "length" comes from the Old English "lengthu," formed from the adjective "long," so the word is built on two ordinary native English elements rather than borrowed material.

Synonyms: long, prolonged, extensive, elongated, drawn-out

Antonyms: short, brief, concise, compact, terse