belong

English

Etymology 1

From Middle English belongen, from be- +‎ longen (“to belong”), from Old English langian (“to pertain to, suit”). Compare Dutch belangen (“to concern”), German belangen (“to attain, concern”). More at be-, long.

Pronunciation

• (UK): IPA: /bɪˈlɒŋ/, SAMPA: /bI"lQN/
• (US): enPR: bĭ-lôngʹ, IPA: /bɪˈlɔŋ/, SAMPA: /bI"lON/

  Audio (US)

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Verb

belong (third-person singular simple present belongs, present participle belonging, simple past and past participle belonged)

1. (intransitive) To have its proper place.

   Where does this document belong?

2. (intransitive) (of a person) To be accepted in a group.

   You don’t belong here — get out.

3. (intransitive) (followed by to) To be a part of a group.

   I don’t belong to them!

4. (intransitive) (followed by to) To be the property of.

   That house belongs to me.

5. (intransitive) (followed by to) To be the spouse or partner of.
6. (intransitive, set theory) (followed by to) To be an element of (a set). The symbol $\in$ means belongs to.

   Suppose x belongs to $\mathbb{R}$... (-- written: $x \in \mathbb{R}$)

Derived terms

• belonging
• belongingness

Translations

have its proper place

Bulgarian: принадлежа (bg) Czech: patřit (cs) Danish: have sin plads (da), passe (da) Dutch: thuishoren (nl), horen (nl) Finnish: kuulua (fi), lukeutua (fi)

German: hingehören (de) Latin: insum (la) Portuguese: pertencer (pt) Scottish Gaelic: buin (gd) Swedish: höra (sv) Tatar: belän

be accepted in a group

Danish: høre hjemme (da) Dutch: horen (nl), behoren (nl), thuishoren (nl) Finnish: kuulua (fi) German: dazugehören (de), hingehören (de)

Latin: insum (la) Portuguese: pertencer Scottish Gaelic: buin (gd) Swedish: höra hit (sv) (belong here), tillhöra (sv) (belong to) Tatar: belän

be part of a group

Bulgarian: принадлежа (bg), членувам (bg) Czech: patřit (cs) Dutch: horen (nl) bij (nl), thuishoren (nl) bij

German: dazugehören (de) Latin: insum (la) Portuguese: pertencer (pt) Scottish Gaelic: buin (gd)

be the property of

Bulgarian: собственост съм на (bg) Czech: patřit (cs) Danish: tilhøre (da), høre (da) til Dutch: toebehoren (nl) aan (nl), van (nl) iemand (nl) zijn (nl) Finnish: kuulua (fi) French: appartenir à German: gehören zu, gehören (de)

Italian: appartenere a (it) Latin: insum (la) Portuguese: pertencer Russian: принадлежать (ru) Scottish Gaelic: buin (gd) Spanish: pertenecer a (es) Swedish: tillhöra (sv) Tatar: belän

be the guardian, spouse or partner of

Czech: patřit (cs) Danish: henhøre (da) (under)

Dutch: horen (nl) bij (nl), bij iemand (nl) zijn Finnish: kuulua (fi) Latin: insum (la)

set theory: be an element of

Bulgarian: принадлежа (bg) Czech: patřit (cs) Danish: tilhøre (da) Dutch: behoren (nl) tot (nl) Finnish: kuulua (fi) French: appartenir à

German: ist Element von (de), sind Element von (de) pl. Latin: insum (la) Portuguese: pertencer Russian: принадлежать (ru) Scottish Gaelic: buin (gd) Swedish: tillhöra (sv), höra till (sv) Tatar: belän

Etymology 2

Compare Kriol blanga, Bislama blong, Tok Pisin bilong, and Torres Strait Creole blong.

Pronunciation

Alternative forms

• blung
• b’longta, b’longa, belonga, blonga

Preposition

belong

1. (Australian Aboriginal‎, optionally followed by to) Of, belonging to.
   • 1915, E. R. Masson, Untamed Territory

     Jim Campbell, Charlie, Dick, ... Fred, lubra b’longa him, me, thass all.

   • 1936, M. & E. Durack, Chunuma

     By an’ bye ’im grow ’m up make ’m good fella stockman b’longta you.

   • 1977, N. Kolig, Playing Alonga Mud

     Those who had persevered with the course and had acquired some skill were now almost deferentially called ‘Maban (expert) belonga clay’.

   • 1986, Kowanyama News, Dec.

     Them two bin help’m too, and that father blung to this one old Frank.

   • 1986, B. Shaw, Countrymen

     There’s the bloke that’s kill that feller, uncle belong you an me.

   • 1991, D. B. Rose, Hidden Histories

     Get that fire [wood] stacked up like that tree there, that high ... It wasn’t wood belong to that fire pile. Might be for station, or somebody else, you know.