Where does “bushelful” come from?
bushelful (English) comes from English bushel, from Middle English busshel, from Old French boissel, from Old French boisse, from Medieval Latin bostia, from Gaulish bostyā, from Proto-Celtic bostā, from Proto-Indo-European gʷosto-.
bushelful (English): Enough to fill a bushel
Ancestry of “bushelful”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | bushel | A dry measure, containing four pecks, eight... |
| 2 | Middle English | busshel | — |
| 3 | Old French | boissel | bushel |
| 4 | Old French | boisse | a sixth of a bushel |
| 5 | Medieval Latin | bostia | handful; small box; reliquaire |
| 6 | Gaulish | bostyā | handful |
| 7 | Proto-Celtic | bostā | palm, fist |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷosto- | — |