'bagful' originates from Old Norse/Middle English, specifically the word 'baggi'/'bag' meaning 'bag, bundle', combined with the Old English suffix '-ful' meaning 'full of'.

'bagful' changed from Middle English forms such as 'bagfulle' and eventually became the modern English word 'bagful' (plural 'bagsful').

Initially it meant 'as much as fills a bag' and over time this has remained largely the same, though it is now also used figuratively to mean 'a large amount'.