belong

Etymology 1

From Middle English belongen, bilongen, from Middle English be- + longen (“to be fitting, be suitable”), from Old English langian (“to pertain to, suit”), equivalent to be- + long (“to belong”). Compare Saterland Frisian beloangje (“to attain, reach, meet”), Dutch belangen (“to concern”), German belangen (“to sue, concern”).

verb

1. (intransitive) To have its proper place.
   1. (of a person) To be accepted in a group.
      You don’t belong here — get out.
   2. (followed by to) To be a part of a group.
      I don’t belong to them!
2. (intransitive, followed by to) To be part of, or the property of.
   That house belongs to me.
   A turban and loincloth soaked in blood had been found; also a staff. These properties were known to have belonged to a toddy drawer. He had disappeared. 1927, F. E. Penny, chapter 4, in Pulling the Strings
3. (intransitive, followed by to) To be the spouse or partner of.
4. (intransitive, set theory) (followed by to) To be an element of (a set). The symbol ∈ means belongs to.
   Suppose x belongs to ℝ... (— written: x∈ℝ)
5. (obsolete, transitive) To be deserved by.
   More evils belong us than happen to us. 1953, Ben Jonson, Timber: Or, Discoveries, page 70

Etymology 2

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

prep

1. (Australian Aboriginal, optionally followed by to) Of, belonging to.
   Jim Campbell, Charlie, Dick, ... Fred, lubra b’longa him, me, thass all. 1915, E. R. Masson, Untamed Territory
   By an’ bye ’im grow ’m up make ’m good fella stockman b’longta you. 1936, M. & E. Durack, Chunuma
   Those who had persevered with the course and had acquired some skill were now almost deferentially called ‘Maban (expert) belonga clay’. 1977, N. Kolig, Playing Alonga Mud
   Them two bin help’m too, and that father blung to this one old Frank. 1986 December, Kowanyama News
   There’s the bloke that’s kill that feller, uncle belong you an me. 1986, B. Shaw, Countrymen
   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. 1991, D. B. Rose, Hidden Histories