bushel

¹ American  

[boosh-uhl] / ˈbʊʃ əl /

noun

1. a unit of dry measure containing 4 pecks, equivalent in the U.S. (and formerly in England) to 2,150.42 cubic inches or 35.24 liters Winchester bushel, and in Great Britain to 2,219.36 cubic inches or 36.38 liters Imperial bushel. bu., bush.

2. a container of this capacity.

3. a unit of weight equal to the weight of a bushel of a given commodity.

4. a large, unspecified amount or number.

   a bushel of kisses.

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bushel ² American  

[boosh-uhl] / ˈbʊʃ əl /

verb (used with object)

busheled, busheling, bushelled, bushelling

1. to alter or repair (a garment).

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bushel ¹ British  

/ ˈbʊʃəl /

noun

1. a Brit unit of dry or liquid measure equal to 8 Imperial gallons. 1 Imperial bushel is equivalent to 0.036 37 cubic metres

2. a US unit of dry measure equal to 64 US pints. 1 US bushel is equivalent to 0.035 24 cubic metres

3. a container with a capacity equal to either of these quantities

4. informal a large amount; great deal

5. to conceal one's abilities or good qualities

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bushel ² British  

/ ˈbʊʃəl /

verb

1. (tr) to alter or mend (a garment)

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bushel Idioms  

1. see hide one's light under a bushel.

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Other Word Forms

• busheler noun
• busheller noun

Etymology

Origin of bushel¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English bu(i)sshel, bus(s)chel, from Old French boissel, boistiel, equivalent to boisse unit of measure for grain (from assumed Gaulish bostia; compare Middle Irish bas, bos “palm of the hand, handbreadth,” Breton boz “palm of the hand”) + -el noun suffix

Origin of bushel²

1875–80, < German bosseln to patch < French bosseler to emboss; boss ²

Example Sentences

Benchmark corn prices, a key commodity for U.S. farmers, traded below $3.50 per bushel in 2017 before rising above $8 in 2022.

From Barron's • Feb. 23, 2026

Most-active soybean futures trading on the Chicago Board of Trade are up 2.4% to roughly $10.92 a bushel, the highest level in nearly two months.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 4, 2026

The most-active soybeans contract settled at $10.43 a bushel on Wednesday, down 10% from November’s high.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 14, 2026

Today, benchmark corn prices are about $4.20 per bushel, up from recent lows of about $3.70.

From Barron's • Nov. 25, 2025

“I wasn’t going to say embarrassing,” he says, brushing a hand through his bushel of hair, only to find that it’s no longer there.

From "I'll Give You the Sun" by Jandy Nelson