-ful

See also: ful, fúl, fûl, fül, and ful-

English

Alternative forms

• ⠰⠇ (Braille)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fʊl/, /fəl/, [fl̩]

Etymology 1

Inherited from Middle English -ful, -full, from Old English -ful, -full (“full of; -ful”), from Proto-Germanic *-fullaz (“-ful”), from Proto-Germanic *fullaz (“full”); see full. Cognate with Scots -fu, Saterland Frisian -ful (“-ful”), West Frisian -fol (“-ful”), Dutch -vol (“-ful”), German -voll (“-ful”), Swedish -full (“-ful”), Icelandic -fullur, -fyllur (“-ful”).

Suffix

-ful

1. Used to form adjectives from nouns, with the sense of being full of, tending to, or thoroughly possessing the quality expressed by the noun.

   ‎sin + ‎-ful → ‎sinful

Synonyms

• (full of): -ose

Antonyms

• -less

Derived terms

English adjectives suffixed with -ful

having the quality of the noun

• awful
• beautiful
• bountiful
• careful
• dimensionful
• doubtful
• fearful
• frightful
• gleeful
• graceful
• grateful
• harmful
• helpful
• hopeful
• hurtful
• merciful
• mindful
• molestful
• mournful
• needful
• painful
• plentiful
• scornful
• spiteful
• tasteful
• thankful
• thoughtful
• useful
• vengeful
• wonderful

Translations

full of, possessing

• Czech: -plný (cs)
• Esperanto: -plena, -oza (eo)
• Ido: -oza
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Welsh: -lon, -llon, -lawn, -llawn

Etymology 2

Inherited from Middle English -ful, from Old English -ful, -full, from Proto-Germanic *fullō, *fullijô (“filling”).

Suffix

-ful

1. Used to form nouns from nouns meaning “as much as can be held by what is denoted by the noun”

   ‎bowl + ‎-ful → ‎bowlful

   ‎hand + ‎-ful → ‎handful

Usage notes

The plural is formed by pluralizing the noun (e.g., librariesful) or by simply suffixing -s (e.g., libraryfuls).

Derived terms

English nouns suffixed with -ful

as much as can be held by what is denoted by the noun

• bowlful
• boxful
• cemeteryful
• cuntful
• drawerful
• glassful
• handful
• nationful
• nostrilful
• plateful
• pussyful
• mouthful
• shelfful

Translations

as much as can be held

• Cornish: -as
• Interlingua: -ata
• Italian: -ata f
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Portuguese: -ada (pt) f
• Spanish: -ada (es) f
• Welsh: -aid m or f

Anagrams

• 'flu, ULF, flu

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Middle English

Alternative forms

• -fol, -fole, -foll, -folle, -fule, -full, -fulle, -vol, -vole, -voll, -volle

Etymology

Old English -ful, -full (“full of; -ful”), from Proto-West Germanic *-full, Proto-Germanic *-fullaz (“-ful”), from Proto-Germanic *fullaz (“full”). The use of the ending to denote nouns originates in the reanalysis of ful modifying a noun as being part of the noun itself, e.g. "cuppe ful" as "cuppe-ful".

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ful/
• IPA^(key): /vul/

Suffix

-ful

2. Appended to nouns (or, rarely, adjectives and adverbs) to form adjectives denoting the experience or induction of an attitude, internal state or quality.
3. Appended to nouns referring to containers or vessels, denoting the quantity that the given vessel is capable of holding.

Derived terms

Middle English terms suffixed with -ful

Descendants

• English: -ful
• Scots: -fu

References

• “-ful, suf.(1).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 22 June 2018.
• “-ful, suf.(2).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 22 June 2018.

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Old English

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *-fullaz (“-ful”), from Proto-Germanic *fullaz (“full”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ful/

Suffix

-ful

1. full of; -ful

Derived terms

Old English terms suffixed with -ful

Descendants

• Middle English: -full, -ful
  • Scots: -fu
  • English: -ful

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Saterland Frisian

Suffix

-ful

1. Used to form adjectives from nouns; -ful