Mouthful
/ˈmaʊθ.fʊl/noun
An amount of food or drink that fits in the mouth at one time; also, a word or phrase that is hard to say.
Did you know?English built this word by joining two ancient basics—mouth + full—so the “hard to say” meaning is a later metaphor, not some hidden occult origin.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
mūþ
“mouth”
Old English
OE
full
“full, filled”
Middle English
English
moutheful
“as much as fills the mouth; a mouthful”
14th-15th Century
English
mouthful
“an amount held in the mouth at one time”
Modern English
English
mouthful
“an amount of food or drink for one bite or swallow; figuratively, a word or phrase that is difficult to pronounce”