Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “forkful” come from?

Forkful is an English compound of fork and the suffix -ful, ultimately from Latin furca meaning a two-pronged implement, with -ful from Proto-Germanic -fullaz meaning full.

forkful (English): The amount that a fork will hold

Definitions

  1. The amount that a fork will hold

Ancestry of “forkful”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishforkA pronged tool having a long straight handle,...
2Middle EnglishforkeA fork or graip; A fork-shaped fire iron; A...
3Old Englishforce—
4Proto-West Germanicfurkōfork
5LatinfurcaA two-pronged fork, pitchfork; A fork-shaped...
Every word from Latin furca →