Where does “shelfful” come from?
shelfful (English) comes from English shelf, from Middle English schelfe, from Old English sċylfe — deck of a ship.
shelfful (English): Enough to fill a shelf
Ancestry of “shelfful”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | shelf | A flat, rigid structure, fixed at right angles to... |
| 2 | Middle English | schelfe | A shelf or ledge; A cupboard; a piece of... |
| 3 | Old English | sċylfe | deck of a ship |