handful

Handful or Handfull? Which is correct?

Vocabulary / By

Handful is the correct spelling of the word. Handfull is incorrect.

This is an easy mistake to make in English because it seems that we put the words “hand” and “full” together we should get handfull!

The correct spelling of the word is actually “handful”.

Handful Meaning

Handful actually has 2 meanings

The first meaning is an approximate quantity that can fit in your hand. The number depends on the size of the object.

Grab a handful of sweets from the jar.

The second meaning is that something is difficult to control.

My son is a real handful, he is always messing.

-ful suffix

The -ful suffix(add on at the end of a word) can mean a quantity that fills that object.

Other examples include:

roomful

There is a roomful of hungry people in there.

glassful

Give me a glassful of water.

bowlful

Can you pass me a bowlful of rice?

pocketful

I have a pocketful of change.

Is handful singular or plural?

“handful” is singular and we usually use it with “a”

I need a handful of chocolate for this cake.

The plural of handful is handfuls,

I need 6 handfuls of chocolate for this cake.

Hands full, handsful or handfuls?  

“Handfuls” is the plural of “handful”

She grabbed handfuls and handfuls of cash before making her getaway.

“Handsful” is incorrect and not the plural of “handful”.

“Hands full” is another phrase in English and has a different meaning.

“Hands full” means to be busy.

Sorry, I can’t do the report, I have my hands full at the moment.

Conor
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