-ful
English
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
- Used to form adjectives from nouns, with the sense of being full of, tending to, or thoroughly possessing the quality expressed by the noun.
Synonyms
- (full of): -ose
Antonyms
Derived terms
Translations
Etymology 2
Inherited from Middle English -ful, from Old English -ful, -full, from Proto-Germanic *fullō, *fullijô (“filling”).
Suffix
-ful
Usage notes
The plural is formed by pluralizing the noun (e.g., librariesful) or by simply suffixing -s (e.g., libraryfuls).
Derived terms
Translations
See also
- (having a considerable amount of): -some
Middle English
Etymology
Inherited from 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/
- (Southern, Kent) IPA(key): /vul/
Suffix
-ful
- Appended to nouns (or, rarely, adjectives and adverbs) to form adjectives denoting the experience or induction of an attitude, internal state or quality.
- Appended to nouns referring to containers or vessels, denoting the quantity that the given vessel is capable of holding.
Derived terms
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.
Old English
Alternative forms
Etymology
From Proto-Germanic *-fullaz (“-ful”), from Proto-Germanic *fullaz (“full”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ful/
Declension
Singular | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter |
---|---|---|---|
Nominative | -fulla | -fulle | -fulle |
Accusative | -fullan | -fullan | -fulle |
Genitive | -fullan | -fullan | -fullan |
Dative | -fullan | -fullan | -fullan |
Instrumental | -fullan | -fullan | -fullan |
Plural | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter |
Nominative | -fullan | -fullan | -fullan |
Accusative | -fullan | -fullan | -fullan |
Genitive | -fulra, -fullena | -fulra, -fullena | -fulra, -fullena |
Dative | -fullum | -fullum | -fullum |
Instrumental | -fullum | -fullum | -fullum |