'long-range' originates from Modern English as a compound of the adjective 'long' and the noun 'range'. 'Long' comes ultimately from Old English 'lang' meaning 'long', and 'range' comes via Old French 'rang'/'reenge' meaning 'row, extent'.

'long' comes from Old English 'lang' (from Proto-Germanic *langaz) and developed into Middle and then Modern English 'long'. 'Range' developed from Old French 'rang'/'reenge' (from verbs such as 'rangier'/'rengier' to put in order) and entered Middle English as 'range', later forming compounds like 'long-range' in Modern English to describe distance or extent.

Initially the separate elements simply meant 'long' (in length or duration) and 'range' (extent or reach). Over time the compound 'long-range' came to be used both for physical distance (things that reach far) and metaphorically for extended time or scope (long-term planning), broadening from a literal spatial sense to include temporal and figurative senses.