Armful
/ˈɑːrm.fʊl/noun
The amount that an arm can hold.
Did you know?“Armful” is a straightforward English formation from *arm* + *-ful*, not a hidden occult term, but it shows how English turns the body into a measuring tool for the world.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
earm
“arm, forelimb”
Old English
OE
-ful
“full of; having the amount of”
Middle English
ME
armful
“as much as the arms can hold”
Modern English
English
armful
“the quantity that can be held in the arms”