ENGLISH
REFERENCE

full

n.
A1 Beginner Oxford US //ˈfʊɫ// UK //fˈʊl// full Archaic General-service Informal

n. containing as much or as many as possible, with no more room inside. You use this to describe a container, a room, or even your stomach after a big meal.

n. containing the maximum possible amount or number; having no empty space. Often used figuratively to describe a high degree of intensity or completeness.


SIMPLE

The glass is full of water.

CONTEXTUAL

I cannot eat another bite of dessert because I am completely full after that large dinner.

COMPLEX

The auditorium was full to capacity, forcing the latecomers to stand in the aisles while the keynote speaker delivered her address.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Etymology 1

From Middle English ful, from Old English full (“full”), from Proto-West Germanic full, from Proto-Germanic fullaz (“full”), from Proto-Indo-European *pl̥h₁nós (“full”). Germanic cognates include West Frisian fol, Low German vull, Dutch vol, German voll, Danish fuld, and Norwegian and Swedish full (the latter three via Old Norse). Proto-Indo-European cognates include English plenty (via Latin, compare plēnus), Welsh llawn, Russian по́лный (pólnyj), Lithuanian pilnas, Persian پر (por), Sanskrit पूर्ण (pūrṇá). See also fele and Scots fou (whence the English doublet fou (“drunk”)). For the "drunk, intoxicated" sense, compare also Swedish full and other Scandinavian languages.

Etymology 2

From Middle English fulle, fylle, fille, from Old English fyllu, fyllo (“fullness, fill, plenty”), from Proto-Germanic fullį̄, fulnō (“fullness, filling, overflow”), from Proto-Indo-European plūno-, plno- (“full”), from pelh₁-, pleh₁- (“to fill; full”). Cognate with German Fülle (“fullness, fill”), Icelandic fylli (“fulness, fill”). More at fill.

Etymology 3

From Middle English fullen, fulwen (“to baptise”), from Old English fullian, fulwian (“to baptise”), from full- + wīhan (later wēon (“to make holy”)). Compare Old English fulluht, fulwiht (“baptism”).

Etymology 4

From Middle English fullen (“to full”), from Anglo-Norman fuller, fuler, Middle French foller, fouler, from Old French foler, fouler (“to tread, stamp, full”), from Medieval Latin fullāre, from Latin fullō (“a fuller”). Compare Old English fullian (“to full”).

Usage

Commonly followed by the preposition 'of' when specifying the contents.

Pitfall

The room was full with peopleThe room was full of peopleThe adjective 'full' collocations with 'of' rather than 'with' to indicate contents.

Idioms20 entries

© 2026 English Reference