-ful

/fʊl//fəl/[fl̩]

suffix

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”

Similar
-ose
Opposite
-less
OriginProto-Germanic *fullaz ← Proto-Indo-European *pl̥h₁nós →
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Meanings

-ful1

suffix-ful (adjective-forming suffix, comparative more -ful, superlative most -ful)

comparative more -ful · superlative most -ful · alternative uncommon -full · alternative ⠰⠇

  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: -ose

-ful2

suffix-ful (noun-forming suffix, plural -fuls or -sful)

plural -fuls · plural -sful · alternative uncommon -full · alternative ⠰⠇

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

    bowl + -ful → bowlful

    1 more example

    hand + -ful → handful

Synonyms & antonyms

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

Similar
-ose
Opposite
-less
Also see
-ose

Origin

-ful · suffix

  1. Proto-Indo-European*pleh₁-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*pl̥h₁nós
  3. Proto-Germanic*fullaz
  4. English-ful

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”), Danish -fuld (“-ful”), Icelandic -fullur, -fyllur (“-ful”).

More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-Germanic

Full word history & related roots →

-ful · suffix

  1. Proto-Germanic*fullō
  2. Old English-ful
  3. Middle English-ful
  4. English-ful

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

More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-Germanic

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Czech -plný
  • -plnýfull of, possessing
Danish -fuld, -fuld
  • -fuldfull of, possessing
  • -fuldas much as can be held
Esperanto da, -plena
  • dafull of, possessing
  • -plenafull of, possessing
  • -ozafull of, possessing
French -ée
  • -éeas much as can be held
German -voll
  • -vollfull of, possessing
Italian -ata
  • -ataas much as can be held
Latin -osus
  • -osusfull of, possessing
Portuguese -ada
  • -adaas much as can be held
Spanish -ada
  • -adaas much as can be held
Tamil -மிகு
  • -மிகு (-miku)full of, possessing
Welsh -lon, -llon
  • -lonfull of, possessing
  • -llonfull of, possessing
  • -lawnfull of, possessing
  • -llawnfull of, possessing
  • -aidas much as can be held

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with -ful

fullnullpullbullAbdultulleshulIatmulphilosopher's woolunfullyou'll
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

-ful. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-ful

MLA

“-ful.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-ful. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “-ful,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-ful.

Source: -ful on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.