Word
mouthful
Phoneticsmouth·ful, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈmaʊθˌfʊɫ/
UK/mˈaʊθfəl/
Definitions
01amount of food/drink
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun
n. the amount of food or drink that you can put in your mouth at one time.
n. the quantity of food or liquid that fills the oral cavity.
“He took a large mouthful of water after running the race.”
“She managed only a small mouthful of the rich dessert before deciding it was far too sweet for her palate.”
02difficult to pronounce
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Informal
n. a word or phrase that is very long or hard to say correctly.
n. a word or phrase that is phonetically complex or cumbersome to articulate.
“His full name is a bit of a mouthful, so we just call him Sam.”
“The scientific name for the species is quite a mouthful, requiring even the most experienced researchers to pause before speaking.”
Synonyms
03a significant statement
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Informal · Slang
n. something you say when someone has said something very true, important, or long.
n. an emphatic or significant statement; often used as a reactive comment to a dense or profound remark.
“You said a mouthful there; I completely agree with your point.”
“When the CEO admitted the company was failing, the lead investigator remarked that he had certainly said a mouthful.”
Synonyms
04abusive language
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Informal · British English
n. a lot of angry or rude words said to someone.
n. a tirade of abusive or insulting language directed at a person.
“The driver gave me a mouthful of abuse after I accidentally cut him off.”
“The referee received a mouthful from the angry manager following the controversial decision to award a penalty in the final minute.”
Synonyms
Etymology
From Middle English mouthful, mouth-full, mouthe full, from Old English mūþfull, from Proto-West Germanic munþafull, equivalent to mouth + -ful. Compare Dutch mondvol (“mouthful”), German Mundvoll (“mouthful”), Danish mundfuld (“mouthful”), Swedish munfull (“mouthful”), Icelandic munnfylli (“mouthful”). Compare also West Frisian mûlfol (“mouthful”).
From mouth + -ful.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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