Staying in a place or continuing for a long time; slow to disappear or fade away.
From Old English 'lengan' meaning 'to prolong,' related to 'long.' The '-ing' creates the sense of continuous slow duration rather than quick completion.
Lingering captures something psychology knows well—smells, emotions, and memories don't disappear suddenly but fade slowly, which is why this word works so perfectly for things that won't quite leave us alone.
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