Handful
/ˈhænd.fʊl/noun
The amount that can be held in one hand; also, a small number or quantity.
Did you know?Handful is an old English compound that became a measure of power in the hand itself—proof that language often starts with the body before it becomes abstract.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*gʰes-
“To seize, grasp, or take in the hand.”
Old English
English
handfull
“As much as the hand can hold; a hand-sized quantity.”
Late Old English
English
handfull
“A small quantity held in the hand.”
Middle English
English
handful
“A quantity that fills the hand; also, a small number.”
Modern English
English
handful
“The amount a hand can hold; by extension, a small number or a difficult person or thing.”