bushel
UK[ˈbʊʃl]US[ˈbʊʃl]
n
A unit of volume for dry goods (such as grain or fruit) equal to 8 gallons (about 36.4 liters) in the US, or 8 imperial gallons (about 36.37 liters) in the UK.
n
A container holding a bushel.
Etymology
The word 'bushel' entered Middle English as 'busshel' from the Old French 'boissel', a diminutive form of 'boisse', a measure of grain. This Old French term is believed to have Gaulish origins, possibly related to a Celtic root for a hollow vessel or a handful. The core concept has always been associated with a standardized container for dry commodities. Over centuries, its precise volume was formalized differently in the US and UK systems, but it retained its fundamental identity as a unit of dry measure, evolving from a practical medieval container into a defined legal standard.
Analysis
The word 'bushel' is a simplex loanword from Old French. Its spelling and form have been fully lexicalized into English, making its internal French morphemes ('boissel') no longer segmentable or productive in modern English word formation.
Examples
The farmer sold his wheat for five dollars a bushel.
She picked a bushel of apples from the orchard.
The old bushel basket was used for collecting eggs.