bucketful
UK[ˈbʌkɪtfʊl]US[ˈbʌkɪtfʊl]
n
the amount that a bucket can hold
Morpheme Breakdown
bucket
ful
bucket
container
ful
full of
Etymology
the word 'bucketful' is a transparent compound formed within english. the first element, 'bucket', has a complex history, likely deriving from an old english word for a vessel, which itself may have proto-germanic roots. the second element, '-ful', is a native english suffix descended from the old english adjective 'full', meaning 'containing as much as possible'. when attached to a noun of a container, '-ful' productively forms a noun indicating the quantity required to fill that container. thus, the literal logic of 'bucketful' is directly preserved in its modern meaning: a quantity sufficient to fill a bucket.
Analysis
Structure: bucket (container) + ful (full of)
bucket (from middle english 'boket', of uncertain origin, possibly from old english 'būc' meaning pitcher or belly, functioning as the base noun). ful (from old english '-ful', an adjective-forming suffix meaning 'full of', here used as a noun-forming suffix denoting a quantity that fills).
Examples
she poured a bucketful of water over the campfire to douse it completely.
the children collected a bucketful of seashells during their afternoon at the beach.
after the heavy rain, he had to bail a bucketful of water out of the leaking boat.