Unlengthened

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Not having been made longer, extended, or stretched out to a greater length than before
2. Remaining at its original length, without any added extension or additional stretch
3. Describing something that has not been drawn out, lengthened, or prolonged in size or time

Etymology: "Unlengthened" is a simple formation: the prefix "un-", meaning "not", attached to "lengthened," the past participle of the verb "lengthen." That verb is built from the adjective "long" plus the suffix "-en," which turns an adjective into a verb meaning "to make so." So "lengthened" means "made long," and "unlengthened" describes something that has not been made longer. The prefix "un-" is an Old English element that has been productive ever since, freely attached to adjectives and participles to negate them. Because "un-" can join almost any participle, "unlengthened" is a transparent coinage rather than a word with a separate history of its own, and its meaning can be read directly from its parts.