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spoonful

American  
[spoon-fool] / ˈspun fʊl /

noun

plural

spoonfuls

  1. as much as a spoon can hold.

  2. a small quantity.

spoonful British  
/ ˈspuːnˌfʊl /

noun

  1. the amount that a spoon is able to hold

  2. a small quantity

"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

Spelling

See -ful.

Other Word Forms

  • half-spoonful adjective

Etymology

Origin of spoonful

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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

If your pot feels thin or underpowered, it may be craving something savory — a spoonful of bouillon, a splash of soy sauce, a handful of mushrooms.

From Salon

While he was trying to say that, but saying "Phhhfft" instead, she gave him another spoonful.

From Literature

Start with what asks the least of you: a spoonful, a sip, a slice, a bite.

From Salon

I offer her a spoonful of cereal, but she shakes her head no.

From Literature

Even a spoonful of jam whisked into the dressing can give the whole bowl a lift.

From Salon

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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