Long-winded
LAWNG-win-did
/ˌlɔːŋˈwɪn.dɪd/
Continuing to speak or write at tedious length.
Focuses on physical or temporal length; implies the speaker literally has endless breath ('wind').
The story behind the word. A native English compound formed in the 16th century, referring to someone who has enough lung capacity ('wind') to talk endlessly without stopping for air.
Word relationships
- verbose: 'Verbose' is formal; 'long-winded' is accessible, everyday English.
- prolix: 'Prolix' is an advanced academic synonym.
- brief: Short in duration or extent.
- concise: Clear and brief without extra words.
Commonly confused with
- short-winded: 'Short-winded' means getting out of breath easily; 'long-winded' means talking endlessly.
Word family
- long-windedness (noun): The state or quality of being tedious and lengthy.
Collocations
- long-winded speech
- long-winded explanation
- long-winded story
- long-winded speaker
Idioms & expressions
- have a second wind
- talk the hind legs off a donkey
Example sentences
- "The manager's long-winded introduction ate up half of our scheduled meeting time." Office Meeting
Memory hook
Imagine a trumpet player with long wind who never stops blowing noise. Long wind = Endless breath to keep talking.
When not to use
Less suitable for formal scholarly publications; prefer 'verbose' or 'prolix' in academic papers.
Fun facts
- 16th-century writers originally used 'long-winded' to describe long-distance runners before applying it to speeches.
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