teaspoonful

IPA/ˈtiː.spuːn.fʊl/
KK[tˈispˌunfəl]IPA/ˈtiː.spuːn.fʊl/

teaspoonful — noun

  • teaspoonfulsingular
  • teaspoonfulsplural

1. the quantity of a soft, powdery, or liquid substance that fills a standard teasp

1.nounB1
Definition

the quantity of a soft, powdery, or liquid substance that fills a standard teaspoon, used especially as a rough measurement in cooking and for liquid medicine.

Example

Linh added a teaspoonful of sugar to her tea before taking the first sip.

a teaspoonful of + [substance]

The doctor told Naoko to take one teaspoonful of the brown cough syrup each night.

take + a teaspoonful of + [medicine]

Common collocations
  • a teaspoonful of sugar
  • a teaspoonful of salt
  • take a teaspoonful
  • measure a teaspoonful
  • add a teaspoonful
  • half a teaspoonful
Synonyms
  • spoonful

    generic — could mean any spoon size; less precise than 'teaspoonful'

  • dash

    much smaller, rougher estimate (about 1/8 teaspoon); used for strong spices only

Grammar Patterns

a teaspoonful of + [substance]

two teaspoonfuls of + [substance]

Usage Note

Countable noun. Its plural form can be either 'teaspoonfuls' or (less commonly) 'teaspoonsful'. The -ful suffix turns a container name into a measurement unit, following the same pattern as 'handful', 'cupful', and 'tablespoonful'. This sense is distinct from 'teaspoon', which names the utensil itself.

Common Mistakes

The recipe asks for three teaspoon of salt.
The recipe asks for three teaspoonfuls of salt.
when counting the amount, use the plural of 'teaspoonful', not the singular 'teaspoon'.
Add a teaspoonful oil.
Add a teaspoonful of oil.
the preposition 'of' is required between the measurement and the substance.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All these words describe small amounts used in cooking, but their sizes and contexts differ sharply. 'Teaspoonful' equals about five millilitres — the standard small measure for spices, extracts, and medicine. 'Tablespoonful' is three times larger (about fifteen millilitres), so confusing the two can ruin a recipe. 'Spoonful' is a generic term for any spoon-held amount; cooks often specify whether it is 'heaped' or 'level'. 'Dash' is a much rougher estimate (roughly one-eighth of a teaspoon), used for strong liquids like hot sauce or bitters. 'Pinch' is the smallest — the amount you can hold between your thumb and forefinger, used for salt or fine herbs. In practice: 'add a teaspoonful of vanilla extract' is a precise instruction; 'a pinch of salt' allows personal taste.

teaspoonful ↗tablespoonful ↗spoonful ↗dash ↗pinch ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • a teaspoonful of
  • two teaspoonfuls of
  • half a teaspoonful of
  • heaped teaspoonful of
  • level teaspoonful of

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishModern English

'Teaspoonful' is a compound built from 'teaspoon' (the small spoon traditionally used for stirring tea) plus the suffix '-ful', which turns a container into a measurement meaning 'the amount that fills it'. This -ful pattern is ancient in English — compare 'handful' (Old English 'handfull'), 'cupful', and 'spoonful'. The use of a tea-specific spoon as a standard kitchen measure became common in the 1700s, when tea drinking spread across all social classes and recipe writers needed consistent small quantities.