spoonful

[spoon-fool]

noun

plural

spoonfuls 

1. as much as a spoon can hold.

2. a small quantity.

spoonful

/ ˈspuːnˌfʊl /

noun

1. the amount that a spoon is able to hold

2. a small quantity

Spelling Note

See -ful.

Other Word Forms

• half-spoonful adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of spoonful¹

First recorded in 1250–1300, spoonful is from the Middle English word sponeful. See spoon, -ful

Example Sentences

A spoonful of green sauce, like chimichurri or pesto, can do the same.

From Salon

I met my hosts at the restaurant’s entrance, made to look like a pueblo plaza complete with a huge water fountain, towering church steeple and a pink exterior better suited for a spoonful of Pepto-Bismol.

From Los Angeles Times

Dairy is one simple route: a dollop of sour cream, a spoonful of yogurt or labneh can mellow richness while adding subtle tang.

From Salon

I melted a knob of butter in a small saucepan, then a spoonful of the dried leaves.

From Salon

“It’s chaos. A performance for cameras. I’ve never received a single sack of flour, not one can of food, not a spoonful of sugar. We’re being starved, tortured. Enough.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• application 
• dosage 
• lot 
• measure 
• measurement 
• prescription 
• quantity 
• shot