mouthful

American  

[mouth-fool] / ˈmaʊθˌfʊl /

noun

plural

mouthfuls

1. the amount a mouth can hold.

2. the amount taken into the mouth at one time.

3. a small quantity.

4. Informal. a spoken remark of great truth, relevance, effectiveness, etc..

   You said a mouthful!

5. a long word or group of words, especially one that is hard to pronounce.

---

mouthful British  

/ ˈmaʊθˌfʊl /

noun

1. as much as is held in the mouth at one time

2. a small quantity, as of food

3. a long word or phrase that is difficult to say

4. informal an abusive response

5. informal an impressive remark (esp in the phrase say a mouthful )

---

mouthful Idioms  

1. see say a mouthful.

---

Spelling

See -ful.

Etymology

Origin of mouthful

1375–1425; late Middle English. See mouth, -ful

Explanation

A mouthful is an amount of some substance that can fit in a person's mouth. If you eat a mouthful of chocolate cream pie, you consume a bite of it. A mischievous kid might spit a mouthful of water at her sister, while a thirsty athlete might gulp a mouthful of water after her workout. In both cases, the mouthful is as much water as can fit in their mouths. If you're not very hungry for dinner, you might just have a few mouthfuls of mashed potatoes — just a few bites, in other words. Another kind of mouthful is a long, complicated word, phrase, or sentence.

Example Sentences

On its 2019 EP, “A Mouthful of the Mary Wallopers,” the Mary Wallopers band puts its signature on old Irish ballads.

From Washington Post • Mar. 8, 2023

Mouthful Mode forces me to engage my brain just enough that the game becomes fun instead of me going through the motions.

From The Verge • Mar. 23, 2022

Directed by Amy Koppelman and based on her novel of the same name, “A Mouthful of Air” aspires to show how depression can sully even the loveliest of scenes.

From New York Times • Oct. 28, 2021

With the exception of a nice moment that illustrates Julie’s creative process, “A Mouthful of Air” is missing the specificity that could help its depiction feel authentic.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 27, 2021

Jean Mace's "History of a Mouthful of Bread."

From Pushing to the Front by Marden, Orison Swett