livelong

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun perennial northern temperate plant with toothed leaves and heads of small purplish-white flowers
  2. adjective (of time) constituting the full extent or duration

Etymology

From Middle English live long, leve-long, lefe long (as in Alle the lefe longe daye), equivalent to lief + long. Compare Dutch heel den lieven langen dag (“all the livelong day”), German der liebe lange Tag (“the livelong day”) and German die liebe lange Nacht (“the livelong night”).

In classic literature

Synonyms

orpine, orpin, live-forever, Sedum telephium

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