# linger vs lingua

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### linger
*verb · IPA /ˈlɪŋɡɚ/ · frequency rank #19,382*
To stay or remain in a place or situation, especially as if unwilling to depart or not easily able to do so.

### lingua
*noun · IPA /ˈlɪŋ.ɡwə/ · frequency rank #38,945*
Synonym of tongue.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/linger-vs-lingua