longue

Longue is the feminine singular form of the French adjective long, used to describe a feminine noun. The masculine form is long, and the plural forms are longs (masculine) and longues (feminine). The word derives from Latin longus via Old French long and is cognate with the English word long.

In everyday usage, longue appears in a variety of descriptive phrases and compounds. It is common in fixed expressions such as longue durée (a long duration or long-term perspective) and longue vue (a telescope or spyglass). It also occurs in directional or scope phrases like à longue portée or à longue distance, meaning at long range or long-distance.

Longue is also a frequent element in toponymy, the naming of places in French-speaking regions. As a component of local names, it can indicate historical descriptors related to geography or landscape, appearing in the names of communes, rivers, hills, and other geographic features. In such toponyms, longue generally functions as part of a larger proper name rather than as a standalone designation.

Etymologically, longue reflects the same root as long in English, illustrating a shared lineage from Latin longus. The feminine form is used to maintain agreement with feminine nouns in French grammar, while masculine and plural forms adapt to different noun genders and numbers.

In sum, longue is a versatile French term rooted in morphology and history, employed in everyday language and in geographic names to convey the sense of length or extension.