Where does “handbagful” come from?
handbagful (English) comes from English handbag, from English Hand, from Middle English hond, from Old English hand, from Proto-West Germanic handu, from Swedish hand, from Old Swedish hand, from Old Norse hǫnd — hand.
handbagful (English): As much as a handbag will hold
Definitions
- As much as a handbag will hold
Ancestry of “handbagful”, step by step
handbagful traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English handbag
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | handbag | A small bag used by women for carrying various... |
| 2 | English | Hand | The part of the forelimb below the forearm or wrist in a human, and the corresponding part in many other animals |
| 3 | Middle English | hond | hand; Alternative form of hound |
| 4 | Old English | hand | A hand |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | handu | hand |
| 6 | Swedish | hand | A hand; A hand; the set of cards held by a player |
| 7 | Old Swedish | hand | A hand; A direction; A behalf |
| 8 | Old Norse | hǫnd | hand |
| 9 | Proto-Germanic | handuz | hand |
via English ful
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | ful | — |