Dictionary.com
definitions

mouthful

[ mouth-foo l ]
/ ˈmaʊθˌfʊl /
|
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR mouthful ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural mouth·fuls.

the amount a mouth can hold.
the amount taken into the mouth at one time.
a small quantity.
Informal. a spoken remark of great truth, relevance, effectiveness, etc.: You said a mouthful!
a long word or group of words, especially one that is hard to pronounce.

RELATED CONTENT

Medical Terms You Didn’t Know ExistedRead more in this article about some frequently asked questions and fun facts related to our definitions.
READ MORE
Do You Know These Sizzlin’ Southern Sayings?Read more in this article about some frequently asked questions and fun facts related to our definitions.
READ MORE

RELATED WORDS

taste, gulp, bite, piece, morsel

Nearby words

  1. mouth-watering,
  2. mouthbreeder,
  3. mouthbrooder,
  4. mouthed,
  5. mouthfeel,
  6. mouthing,
  7. mouthpart,
  8. mouthpiece,
  9. mouthwash,
  10. mouthwatering

Origin of mouthful

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

Usage note

See -ful.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for mouthful

British Dictionary definitions for mouthful

mouthful

/ (ˈmaʊθˌfʊl) /

noun plural -fuls

as much as is held in the mouth at one time
a small quantity, as of food
a long word or phrase that is difficult to say
British informal an abusive response
informal, mainly US and Canadian an impressive remark (esp in the phrase say a mouthful)
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for mouthful

mouthful

n.

1520s, "as much as a mouth can hold," from mouth (n.) + -ful. Meaning "a lot to say" is from 1748.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Idioms and Phrases with mouthful

mouthful

see say a mouthful.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.