längster

Längster is a German adjective meaning “longest.” It is the superlative form of lang and is used to indicate the greatest length within a group of objects, people, or concepts. The form is primarily encountered in attributive position, where its ending changes according to gender, number, and the type of determiner, and in predicative or adverbial constructions as well.

In grammar, längster appears in several common patterns:

- With a definite article: der längste Mann or das längste Auto, where the attributive form is typically der längste / die längste / das längste, depending on gender and case.

- With a possessive determiner or mixed declension: mein längster Freund (my longest friend) or ihr längster Weg, where längster takes the -er ending in masculine singular.

- As an adverb: am längsten, meaning “for the longest time” or “the longest (in duration).”

- It is used to compare lengths, durations, or extents across items or categories, such as rivers, journeys, or films.

Etymology and related forms: längster derives from the Old High German lang and the Proto-Germanic root *langaz, cognate with English long. It participates in the standard German system of adjectival comparison, alongside shorter forms like lang, längere, längsten, and related superlatives.

Usage notes: Längster is common in descriptive writing, scientific contexts, travel or cultural commentary, and everyday speech when specifying the maximum length among several candidates. As with other German superlatives, the exact spelling and ending depend on the accompanying determiner and the grammatical role of the word within the sentence.

See also: German adjectives, comparison of adjectives in German, long (as a root concept).