long distance

¹ American  

noun

1. telephone service between distant places.

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long-distance ² American  

[lawng-dis-tuhns, long-] / ˈlɔŋˈdɪs təns, ˈlɒŋ- /

adjective

1. of, from, or between distant places.

   a long-distance phone call.

2. for, over, or covering long distances.

   a long-distance runner.

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adverb

1. by long-distance telephone.

   to call someone long-distance.

long-distance British  

noun

1. (modifier) covering relatively long distances

   a long-distance driver

2. (modifier) (of telephone calls, lines, etc) connecting points a relatively long way apart

3. a long-distance telephone call

4. a long-distance telephone system or its operator

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adverb

1. by a long-distance telephone line

   he phoned long-distance

Etymology

Origin of long distance¹

First recorded in 1900–05

Origin of long-distance²

First recorded in 1880–85

Explanation

Something long-distance occurs between two points that are very far away from each other. A long-distance truck driver has a route that takes her many miles from one city to another. A long-distance phone call is one that you make between two distant places, like Kansas City and Mumbai; and a long-distance relationship is one in which the two people live in different cities, like Seattle and Dallas. A long-distance runner, as opposed to a sprinter, takes part in marathons and other long races. In 1884, this adjective first began describing telephone calls — it's since become less common to use it this way.

Example Sentences

The two pilots were in the same plane but landed a long distance apart because of the speed at which the jet was flying when the airmen evacuated, Trump said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026

However, he said: "Because of the long distance of migration, the return rate is about 30%."

From BBC • Mar. 5, 2026

Due to their large body size, repeated long distance hopping would have been inefficient.

From Science Daily • Jan. 23, 2026

He is also shooting a career-low 30.9% from three after shooting 42.3% from long distance last season.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 3, 2026

Do long distance relationships work? she asks every few days.

From "The Sun Is Also a Star" by Nicola Yoon