full-length
UK[ˌfʊl ˈleŋθ]US[ˌfʊl ˈleŋθ]
adj
Having the standard or complete length; not shortened or abridged.
adj
(of a mirror, portrait, or piece of clothing) covering or showing the whole length of a person.
Morpheme Breakdown
full
length
full
complete
length
measurement
Etymology
The compound adjective "full-length" is a transparent combination of two native English elements. "Full," with Proto-Germanic origins meaning "plenty, abundance," evolved to signify completeness. "Length" derives from the Old English adjective "lang" (long) via the addition of the abstract noun suffix "-þu," creating a word for the measurement of extent. Joined in the early 18th century, the term logically denotes something possessing its complete, standard, or entire measured extent, initially applied to garments and later to literary works and other objects.
Analysis
Structure: full (complete) + length (measurement)
full: From Old English full, meaning "complete, entire." It functions as an intensifier or descriptor indicating completeness.
length: From Old English lengþu, derived from lang (long) plus the noun-forming suffix -þu (-th). It functions as the core noun denoting a linear measurement.
Examples
The director's cut is the full-length version of the film.
She wore a full-length coat to stay warm in the winter.
The gallery featured a full-length portrait of the queen.