full
Containing as much as possible; having no empty space.
Etymology
From Old English full, from Proto-Germanic *fullaz, from PIE *pleh₁- "to fill." This root is extraordinarily productive — it gives English "full," "fill," "plenty," "plus," "plural," "complete," "supply," "accomplish," and many more. The PIE concept of fullness was central to ideas of completion and abundance.
The Journey: *pleh₁- → full
*pleh₁-
*fullaz
full
full
Cognates Across Languages
These words in other languages descend from the same PIE root *pleh₁-. They are not borrowings but independent inheritances from a common ancestor.
| Language | Word |
|---|---|
| Greek | plḗrēs |
| Latin | plēnus |
| Welsh | llawn |
| Gothic | fulls |
| Russian | polnyj |
| Sanskrit | pūrṇá |
| Old Irish | lán |
| Lithuanian | pìlnas |
Did You Know?
PIE *pleh₁- may be among the most prolific roots in English. Through Germanic: full, fill. Through Latin plēnus: plus, plural, complete, supply, accomplish, implement, replenish, complement. Through Greek: plethora.
This word descends from the Proto-Indo-European root *pleh₁-. See the full root page for descendant trees, sound law references, and scholarly discussion.