long-time

IPA/ˈlɒŋ taɪm/
IPA/ˈlɔːŋ taɪm/

long-time — adjective

1. describing a role, relationship, or connection that has continued for many years

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

describing a role, relationship, or connection that has continued for many years — for example, a long-time customer who has shopped at the same store since it opened.

Example

Constanza has been a long-time customer at the bakery on Elm Street.

long-time customer — person + place context

After thirty years in the classroom, Hao was honored as a long-time staff member.

long-time staff member — with duration context

Common collocations
  • long-time friend
  • long-time customer
  • long-time employee
  • long-time member
  • long-time resident
  • long-time supporter
  • long-time partner
Synonyms
  • long-standing

    more formal; typically describes traditions, agreements, or institutions rather than people

  • established

    emphasises recognition or institutional acceptance; can apply to organisations as well as personal roles

  • veteran

    slightly informal or journalistic; often used for someone with years of hands-on experience in a job or activity

Antonyms
  • new

    refers to someone who has just started in a role or relationship

  • recent

    focuses on the short time since the role or connection began

Grammar Patterns

long-time + noun (e.g. long-time friend, long-time customer)

Usage Note

Always used before a noun (attributive only). Unlike the noun phrase a long time, the hyphenated compound long-time cannot follow a verb — compare She is a long-time member with She has been a member for a long time.

Common Mistakes

She is long-time a teacher.
She is a long-time teacher.
long-time must go directly before the noun it modifies.
They have been friends for long-time.
They have been long-time friends.' or 'They have been friends for a long time.
long-time is an adjective; a long time is a noun phrase.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Long-time, long-standing, established, and veteran all describe something that has existed or been true for an extended period, but each has a different tone and typical context. Long-time is the most neutral and person-focused: you have a long-time friend, a long-time customer, or a long-time resident. Long-standing leans formal and is better suited for institutions or situations — a long-standing tradition, a long-standing agreement. Established adds a sense of recognition or institutional acceptance — an established practice, an established member of the community. Veteran, slightly informal, emphasises hands-on experience — a veteran teacher, a veteran campaigner. Use long-time when you simply want to say 'for many years' without extra nuance; choose long-standing or established when more formality is needed, and veteran when the person's deep experience is the key point.

long-standing ↗established ↗veteran ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Long-time is a compound formed from the adjective long (Old English lang, 'of great length') and the noun time (Old English tīma, 'a period'). It first appeared in written English in the early 19th century as a hyphenated attributive adjective. The one-word variant longtime (without hyphen) is common in American journalism, while the hyphenated form remains standard in British and more formal writing.