Prolongé

Prolongé is the masculine singular form of the French adjective and past participle of the verb prolonger. It denotes something that has been extended in time or space, or lengthened beyond an ordinary or expected duration. The word derives from Latin prolongare (pro- “forward” + longus “long”).

Usage and forms: As an adjective, prolongé describes extended durations and can be used with masculine nouns, for example: un délai prolongé, un séjour prolongé, une période prolongée. The feminine form is prolongée; the plural forms are prolongés (masculine) and prolongées (feminine). In compound tenses, prolongé is the past participle of prolonger and agrees with the direct object when appropriate: j'ai prolongé le délai; la durée a été prolongée; les délais prolongés.

Other uses: In sports, the standard term for extra time is prolongation, but prolongé can appear in descriptions such as un match prolongé to indicate a game that exceeded the usual duration. In media and culture, phrases like version prolongée or édition prolongée refer to extended editions with additional material, such as films, albums, or broadcasts.

Notes: Prolongé commonly appears in contexts involving time, distance, or extent. It is distinct from synonyms like prolongé, étendu, or allongé, each with slightly different collocations and nuances. The related noun prolongement denotes the act or result of extending something, i.e., the extension itself.