längste

Längste is a term used in several Germanic languages as the superlative form of the adjective meaning long. It translates to “the longest” in English and appears in different languages with slightly varied spellings and grammatical rules.

In German, längste is the superlative of lang. It is typically used with definite articles, as in der längste Weg (the longest road) or die längste Strecke. The corresponding adverbial form is am längsten (the longest, in terms of degree). The form längste can also appear in feminine singular or neuter singular contexts when accompanied by the appropriate article or determiner.

In Danish, Swedish and Norwegian, closely related forms convey the same meaning. Danish uses længste, Swedish usually längsta, and Norwegian Bokmål often lengste. These forms function similarly to German, marking the highest degree of “long” with corresponding article usage, as in the longest road or the longest day, adapted to each language’s grammar and pronunciation.

Etymology and cognates: längste derives from the Germanic root for long (lang) with a common superlative suffix or pattern shared across related languages. This reflects a broad historical development of adjective inflection in the Germanic language family.

Notes: Spelling with diacritics (ä or æ) varies by language, so the exact form may differ even when meaning remains the same. The word is primarily an adjective in its attributive and predicative uses and is not typically used as a standalone noun.