Definition

Related to length or the lengthwise direction; often used in studies that observe changes over time.

Example

The researchers conducted a longitudinal study to track the development of the participants over several years.

Conversation

Have you heard about the new longitudinal study on childhood development?

Yeah, I read a bit about it; it tracks kids over several years, right?

Exactly! It’s fascinating to see how they change over time.

I agree, those kinds of insights are really important for understanding growth.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Longitudinal → It is formed from "longus" (meaning long) and "-tudinal" (derived from the Latin suffix "-tinalis" which relates to a specific direction or orientation). The word "longitudinal" refers to something that is oriented or extending in the direction of length.

Memory Tip

Think of 'long' ('longus') to remember that 'longitudinal' describes something that extends in a long direction.

Visually Confused Words