bagful

IPA/ˈbæɡ.fʊl/
KK[bˈæɡfˌʊl]IPA/ˈbæɡ.fʊl/

bagful — noun

  • bagfulsingular
  • bagfulsplural

1. an amount of something equal to what fits inside one bag, used when you want to

1.nounC1
Definition

an amount of something equal to what fits inside one bag, used when you want to describe how much was carried, given, or used.

Example

Tomás brought home a bagful of apples from the farmers' market on Saturday.

a bagful of + plural countable noun

The children spilled a bagful of marbles across the kitchen floor.

a bagful of + concrete object

Common collocations
  • a bagful of apples
  • a bagful of clothes
  • a bagful of cash
  • two bagfuls of rice
Synonyms
  • sackful

    similar quantity noun, but suggests a larger or rougher cloth bag

  • pouchful

    smaller amount, fits a pouch rather than a regular bag

  • bundle

    loosely tied group, not necessarily inside a bag

Grammar Patterns

a bagful of + noun

Usage Note

Plural is usually 'bagfuls', though 'bagsful' also exists in older writing. Almost always followed by 'of' plus the contents.

Common Mistakes

She bought a bag full of oranges' (when meaning the noun).
She bought a bagful of oranges.
write 'bagful' as one word for the quantity noun; 'bag full' is an adjective phrase describing the bag.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These four nouns all describe a quantity by reference to what holds it. 'Bagful' is the everyday choice for items carried in a normal shopping bag, school bag, or paper bag — think of groceries, sweets, or laundry. 'Sackful' suggests a bigger, rougher container, often used for grain, potatoes, or rubbish, and feels more rural or industrial. 'Handful' is much smaller and usually concrete (a handful of nuts, coins, sand), but it also has a common figurative meaning of 'a small number' (a handful of people came). 'Armful' covers what one person can carry against the chest, often awkward shapes like books, flowers, or firewood. So you might say: 'Otto brought a bagful of snacks, an armful of blankets, and a handful of candles to the picnic.'

bagful ↗sackfulhandful ↗armful ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • a bagful of
  • two bagfuls of
  • a whole bagful

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishModern English

Formed in English by adding the suffix '-ful' (meaning 'the amount that fills') to the noun 'bag'. This pattern produces many similar quantity words such as 'cupful', 'spoonful', 'handful', and 'mouthful'. The suffix '-ful' itself comes from Old English 'full', the same word as the adjective 'full', and originally meant 'filled with'.