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full 1 (fl) Share: Tweet adj. full·er, full·est 1. Containing all that is normal or possible: a full pail. 2. Complete in every particular: a full account. 3. Baseball a. Amounting to three balls and two strikes. Used of a count. b. Having a base runner at first, second, and third base: The bases were full when the slugger stepped up to bat. 4. a. Of maximum or highest degree: at full speed. b. Being at the peak of development or maturity: in full bloom. c. Of or relating to a full moon. 5. Having a great deal or many: a book full of errors. 6. Totally qualified, accepted, or empowered: a full member of the club. 7. a. Rounded in shape; plump: a full figure. b. Having or made with a generous amount of fabric: full draperies. 8. a. Having an appetite completely satisfied, especially for food or drink: was full after the Thanksgiving dinner. b. Providing an abundance, especially of food. 9. Having depth and body; rich: a full aroma; full tones. 10. Completely absorbed or preoccupied: “He was already pretty full of himself” (Ron Rosenbaum). 11. Possessing both parents in common: full brothers; full sisters. 12. Of or relating to a full-size bed: full sheets; a full bed skirt. adv. 1. Exactly; directly: full in the path of the moon. 2. To a complete extent; entirely. Sometimes used in combination: knew full well; full blown; full-fledged. v. fulled, full·ing, fulls v. tr. To make (a garment) full, as by pleating or gathering. v. intr. To become full. Used of the moon. n. 1. The maximum or complete size or amount: repaid in full. 2. The highest degree or state: living life to the full. 3. A full-size bed. [Middle English ful, from Old English full; see pelə-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] fullness, fulness n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.

full 2 (fl) Share: Tweet tr.v. fulled, full·ing, fulls To increase the density and usually the thickness of (cloth) by shrinking and beating or pressing. [Middle English fullen, from Old French fouler, from Vulgar Latin *fullāre, from Latin fullō, fuller; see bhel-2 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.

# Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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