# longtime

/ˈɫɔŋˌtaɪm/ (US) · /lˈɒŋtaɪm/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/longtime
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. lasting for many years

adjective · CEFR B2

describing someone or something that has been in a certain state for a long time.

For teachers: having existed or persisted for a significant period. Almost exclusively used as an attributive adjective before the noun.

- The two women were longtime friends who met in primary school.
- The senator's longtime advisor resigned yesterday, ending a professional partnership that had spanned three decades of political campaigning.

Usage: Usually placed immediately before the noun it modifies.

### 2. for a long duration

adverb · CEFR C2 · Informal · Dialect

for a long time.

For teachers: for a long period of time. This adverbial use is less common than the adjective and often appears in specific dialects or informal contexts.

- I haven't seen him longtime.
- The locals claim that the old mill has stood empty longtime, though records suggest it was operational until the late nineties.

Usage: Often functions as a shortened form of 'for a long time' in casual speech.

## Examples

- She is a longtime friend of the family.
- The company's longtime CEO announced his retirement after thirty years of service.
- A longtime advocate for environmental reform, the senator spent her final term drafting legislation to protect the state's remaining wetlands.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.