Where does “apronful” come from?

apronful (English) comes from English apron, from English napron, from Middle English naperoun, from Old French napperon, from Old French nappe, from Medieval Latin nappa, from Latin mappa — napkin; starting signal; map.

apronful (English): as much as an apron will hold

Definitions

  1. as much as an apron will hold

Ancestry of “apronful”, step by step

apronful traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English apron

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishapronAn article of clothing worn over the front of the...
2EnglishnapronObsolete form of apron
3Middle EnglishnaperounAn apron or smock garment worn over torso
4Old Frenchnapperon
5Old Frenchnappea cloth
6Medieval Latinnappanapkin
7Latinmappanapkin; starting signal; map

via English ful

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishful
Every word from Latin mappaEvery word from Medieval Latin nappaEvery word from Old French nappe