ladleful
UK[ˈleɪdl̩fʊl]US[ˈleɪdl̩fʊl]
n
the amount that a ladle can hold
Morpheme Breakdown
ladle
ful
ladle
spoon
ful
full of
Etymology
the word 'ladleful' is a transparent compound formed within english from the native elements 'ladle' and '-ful'. the old english ancestor of 'ladle', 'hlædel', is derived from the verb 'hladan' meaning 'to load' or 'to draw out', reflecting the tool's function of scooping and lifting liquid. the suffix '-ful', from old english 'full', is a productive morpheme used to create nouns denoting a quantity that fills a specific container, as seen in 'spoonful', 'cupful', and 'handful'. thus, 'ladleful' literally and logically means 'the quantity that fills a ladle', a meaning that has remained consistent since its formation.
Analysis
Structure: ladle (spoon) + ful (full of)
ladle (old english: hlædel, a utensil for lifting or transferring liquids) + ful (old english: full, an adjectival suffix forming nouns meaning 'the amount that fills')
Examples
she added a ladleful of broth to the soup.
the recipe calls for two ladlefuls of the sauce.
he carefully poured a ladleful of molten metal into the mold.