Glassful

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈɡlæsfəl/

Definitions

1. A quantity of liquid that can be held by a transparent vessel commonly used for drinking purposes
2. A specific volume of fluid that a clear, typically drinkware container can accommodate
3. The volume of liquid that fits inside a typical drinking glass

Etymology: "Glassful" is a plain compound: "glass" plus the suffix "-ful", the same ending found in "spoonful" or "handful." The suffix, from Old English "full," is used to turn a container into a measure of how much it holds. The compound took shape in Middle English, where the form "glas fulle" appeared as a two-word phrase before it closed up into the single word we use now. The base noun "glass" has its own long story, but in "glassful" it simply names the vessel. A glassful is therefore whatever amount a drinking glass holds at one time, and the measure depends on the glass in question rather than on any fixed standard.

Synonyms: cupful, vesselful