# handful

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈhæn(d)fʊl/ · frequency rank #5,969

## Definitions
1. The amount that a hand will grasp or contain.
2. A hand's breadth; four inches.
3. A small number, usually approximately five.
4. A group or number of things; a bunch.
5. Something which can only be managed with difficulty.
6. A five-year prison sentence.

## Etymology
From Middle English handful, hondful, from Old English handfull (“handful”), from Proto-Germanic *handufullō, *handufulliz (“handful”), from Proto-Germanic *handuz (“hand”) + *fullaz (“full”); equivalent to hand + full (“fullness, plenty”) or hand + -ful. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Hondful (“handful”), West Frisian hânfol (“handful”), Dutch handvol (“handful”), German Handvoll (“handful”), Danish håndfuld (“handful”), Swedish handfull (“handful”), Icelandic handfylli (“handful”).

## Easily confused with
- **harmful** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/handful-vs-harmful)
- **hateful** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/handful-vs-hateful)
- **handgun** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/handful-vs-handgun)
- **handout** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/handful-vs-handout)
- **Handel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/handel-vs-handful)

## Common misspellings (11)
`ahndful`, `hadnful`, `handdful`, `handfful`, `handflu`, `handfull`, `handufl`, `hanfdul`, `hanndful`, `hhandful`, `hnadful`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/handful