spoonful

[spoon-fool]

noun

plural

spoonfuls 

1. as much as a spoon can hold.

2. a small quantity.

spoonful

/ ˈspuːnˌfʊl /

noun

1. the amount that a spoon is able to hold

2. a small quantity

Spelling Note

See -ful.

Other Word Forms

• half-spoonful adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of spoonful¹

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

Example Sentences

I melted a knob of butter in a small saucepan, then a spoonful of the dried leaves.

From Salon

“It’s chaos. A performance for cameras. I’ve never received a single sack of flour, not one can of food, not a spoonful of sugar. We’re being starved, tortured. Enough.”

From Los Angeles Times

Add a spoonful of sugar, or skip it if your cookie base is already sweet.

From Salon

Think: the spoonfuls of things you always wish you had on hand but rarely want to make from scratch.

From Salon

“There’s this appetite for accessible luxury — something indulgent, but not pretentious. One perfect spoonful, then onto the next.”

From Salon

Related Words

• application 
• dosage 
• lot 
• measure 
• measurement 
• prescription 
• quantity 
• shot