armfuls
|arm-fuls|
🇺🇸
/ˈɑrmfəlz/
🇬🇧
/ˈɑːm.fʊlz/
(armful)
amount held in the arms
Etymology
'armful' originates from Old English, specifically the word 'earm' (Old English) meaning 'arm', combined with the suffix 'ful' from Old English 'ful' meaning 'full (of)'.
'armful' changed from Old English 'earmful' (a combination of 'earm' + 'ful'), through Middle English forms such as 'armful', and eventually became the modern English word 'armful'.
Initially it meant 'the amount that fills the arm' (a literal measure), and over time it has retained that core meaning while also being used more loosely to mean 'a large amount'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a quantity that can be carried in one's arms; the amount that someone can hold against their body with their arms.
She brought armfuls of laundry up the stairs.
Synonyms
Idioms
Last updated: 2025/10/16 07:50