longsome

/ˈlɒŋsəm/

//ˈlɒŋsəm// adj

"longsome" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“longsome” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
8
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Marked or characterised by longness or length; lengthy; long-lasting; protracted.

Corpus desk

Index EN-longsome · longsome · English

longsome · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "L" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for longsome
PropertyValue
Headwordlongsome
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈlɒŋsəm/
Letters8
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “longsome” in English

longsomefalls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

longsome is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anadjective, transcribed /ˈlɒŋsəm/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

longsome doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English longsum, from Old English langsum (“long; taking a long time; lasting a long time; long-enduring; long-suffering”), from Proto-West Germanic *langasam (“lengthy; long-lasting; vast; extensive”), equivalent to long + -some. The correct English form is longsome, spelled L-O-N-G-S-O-M-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Marked or characterised by longness or length; lengthy; long-lasting; protracted.
  2. 2
    Tedious; tiresomely long.

Etymology

From Middle English longsum, from Old English langsum (“long; taking a long time; lasting a long time; long-enduring; long-suffering”), from Proto-West Germanic *langasam (“lengthy; long-lasting; vast; extensive”), equivalent to long + -some.

Synonyms

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "longsome"?
"longsome" is spelled L-O-N-G-S-O-M-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈlɒŋsəm/.
What does "longsome" mean?
As an adjective, "longsome" means: Marked or characterised by longness or length; lengthy; long-lasting; protracted.
How do you pronounce "longsome"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "longsome" is /ˈlɒŋsəm/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "longsome"?
From Middle English longsum, from Old English langsum (“long; taking a long time; lasting a long time; long-enduring; long-suffering”), from Proto-West Germanic *langasam (“lengthy; long-lasting; vast; extensive”), equivalent to long + -some. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list