bowlful: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Informal, descriptive; often found in culinary, literary, and domestic contexts.
Quick answer
What does “bowlful” mean?
The amount that a bowl can contain.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The amount that a bowl can contain.
A measure of quantity, often used for food items, evoking a sense of abundance, completeness, or a discrete portion.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Both varieties use the term.
Connotations
Similar connotations of domesticity and quantity in both dialects.
Frequency
Low-frequency in both, slightly more common in written descriptions (recipe books, novels) than in daily speech.
Grammar
How to Use “bowlful” in a Sentence
[determiner] + bowlful + of + [uncountable/plural noun]Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Potentially in food industry reports: 'The product yields three bowlfuls per package.'
Academic
Very rare. Might appear in anthropological or historical studies of domestic life.
Everyday
Most common. Used when describing food preparation or serving: 'I had a big bowlful of porridge.'
Technical
Not used.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “bowlful”
- Using 'bowlful' as an adjective (e.g., 'a bowlful soup'). It is a noun. Correct: 'a bowlful of soup'.
- Misspelling as 'bowfull' or 'bowl full' (though 'bowl full' is a possible phrase, it's different: 'The bowl is full').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is one word: 'bowlful'. 'Bowl full' (two words) is a phrase where 'full' is an adjective describing the bowl.
Yes, it can be used for both: a bowlful of water (liquid) and a bowlful of popcorn (solid).
The plural is 'bowlfuls' (e.g., 'two bowlfuls of soup').
It is not a high-frequency word. It is more descriptive and is most commonly used in contexts related to food, cooking, and informal description of quantities.
The amount that a bowl can contain.
Bowlful is usually informal, descriptive; often found in culinary, literary, and domestic contexts. in register.
Bowlful: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbəʊlfʊl/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈboʊlfʊl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Life is just a bowl of cherries. (Note: This idiom uses 'bowl of', not 'bowlful of', but is semantically related.)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a bowl that is FULL. Bowl + ful = bowlful.
Conceptual Metaphor
CONTAINER FOR QUANTITY (A bowlful of trouble = a contained amount of problems).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following best describes the primary use of 'bowlful'?