long-flowering
|long-flow-er-ing|
🇺🇸
/ˌlɔŋˈflaʊərɪŋ/
🇬🇧
/ˌlɒŋˈflaʊərɪŋ/
flowers that last a long time
Etymology
'long-flowering' originates from English, specifically the words 'long' and 'flowering', where 'long' meant 'of great length or duration' and 'flowering' derived from 'flower' + the suffix '-ing' meaning 'producing flowers'.
'long' comes from Old English 'lang' (meaning 'long'); 'flower' entered English via Old French 'flor' (from Latin 'flōs, flōris'), becoming Middle English 'flour'/'flower' and then modern English 'flower'; the adjective 'flowering' formed with the productive -ing suffix to mean 'producing flowers', and the compound 'long-flowering' is a straightforward modern English compound combining those elements.
Initially, the component words meant 'having length/duration' (long) and 'a blossom' (flower); over time the compound came to mean specifically 'producing or bearing flowers for a long period' rather than separate senses of length and blossom.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
producing flowers over an extended period (of a plant or cultivar).
The long-flowering shrubs brightened the garden from late spring to autumn.
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Adjective 2
having flowers that remain visible or attractive for a long time (emphasizing flower longevity rather than continuous new blooms).
Many gardeners prefer long-flowering varieties for cut arrangements because the blooms last longer.
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Last updated: 2025/10/03 07:00