Bowl vs. Bowlful — What's the Difference?
By Maham Liaqat & Fiza Rafique — Updated on May 21, 2024
A "bowl" is a rounded dish used for serving food, while a "bowlful" refers to the amount that can fill a bowl.
Difference Between Bowl and Bowlful
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
A bowl is a round, deep dish used primarily for eating or serving food. It comes in various sizes and materials, making it versatile for different culinary needs. A bowlful, on the other hand, denotes the quantity of food that can fill a bowl. This measurement is useful for recipes and portion control.
When using the term bowl, one often refers to the physical object itself. It can be made of ceramic, glass, plastic, or metal and is an essential item in most kitchens. A bowlful specifically refers to the volume of content the bowl holds, often used in cooking instructions or dietary guidelines.
The concept of a bowl can include various types, such as soup bowls, salad bowls, and mixing bowls, each serving a distinct purpose. A bowlful is more abstract, emphasizing the capacity rather than the type of bowl, which can vary depending on the context.
In social settings, a bowl might be used to serve dishes at a meal, offering a convenient way to present food. A bowlful can indicate a serving size, providing a practical reference for portioning out food, whether for individual meals or group servings.
Comparison Chart
Definition
A rounded dish used for serving food
The amount that can fill a bowl
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Usage
Refers to the physical object
Refers to the volume of content
Material
Ceramic, glass, plastic, metal
Not applicable
Context
Used in dining and serving
Used in measurement and portion control
Variability
Comes in various types and sizes
Dependent on the size of the bowl used
Compare with Definitions
Bowl
A container often used in cooking to mix ingredients.
The chef mixed the ingredients in a large bowl.
Bowlful
A measure used in recipes to denote quantity.
Add a bowlful of flour to the mixture.
Bowl
A bowl is a round dish or container typically used to prepare and serve food. The interior of a bowl is characteristically shaped like a spherical cap, with the edges and the bottom forming a seamless curve.
Bowlful
A term used to indicate portion control.
A bowlful of fruit makes a healthy snack.
Bowl
A round, deep dish or basin used for food or liquid
A mixing bowl
A sugar bowl
Bowlful
The amount a bowl can hold.
He ate a bowlful of soup for lunch.
Bowl
A natural basin.
Bowlful
An informal unit of measurement for food.
He poured himself a bowlful of cereal.
Bowl
A stadium for sporting or musical events
The Hollywood Bowl
Bowlful
Refers to a serving size, often of food or liquid.
She enjoyed a bowlful of ice cream.
Bowl
A wooden or hard rubber ball, slightly asymmetrical so that it runs on a curved course, used in the game of bowls.
Bowlful
The amount that a bowl will hold.
Bowl
A spell or turn of bowling in cricket.
Bowlful
The quantity contained in a bowl.
Bowl
Roll (a ball or other round object) along the ground
She snatched her hat off and bowled it ahead of her
Bowlful
The quantity contained in a bowl
Bowl
(of a bowler) propel (the ball) with a straight arm towards the batsman, typically in such a way that the ball bounces once
Sobers bowled to Willis
Lillee bowled another bouncer
Bowl
Move rapidly and smoothly in a specified direction
They bowled along the country roads
Bowl
A hemispherical vessel, wider than it is deep, used for holding food or fluids.
Bowl
The contents of such a vessel.
Bowl
A drinking goblet.
Bowl
A bowl-shaped part, as of a spoon or pipe.
Bowl
A bowl-shaped topographic depression.
Bowl
A bowl-shaped stadium or outdoor theater.
Bowl
(Football) Any of various postseason games played between specially selected teams, especially at the college level.
Bowl
A ball, traditionally made of wood, that is weighted or slightly flattened so as to roll with a bias, used in lawn bowling.
Bowl
A roll or throw of a ball in lawn bowling and other bowling games.
Bowl
Bowls(used with a sing. verb) See lawn bowling.
Bowl
A revolving cylinder or drum in a machine.
Bowl
To participate in a game of bowling
I bowl every Thursday night in a league.
Bowl
To throw or roll a ball in a game of bowling
It's your turn to bowl.
Bowl
To hurl a cricket ball from one end of the pitch toward the batsman at the other, keeping the arm straight throughout the delivery.
Bowl
To move quickly and smoothly, especially by rolling
The sportscar bowled along through the countryside.
Bowl
To throw or roll (a ball).
Bowl
To make (a specified score) in bowling
Placed first by bowling 237.
Bowled a strike in the first frame.
Bowl
To perform (a specified amount, as a string or game) in bowling
She bowled eight frames before deciding to use a different ball.
Bowl
To move quickly and smoothly by or as if by rolling
Bowled a tire from the garage.
Bowl
To meet or strike with or as if with the force of a rapidly rolling object
The swimmer was bowled over by the wave.
Bowl
A roughly hemispherical container used to hold, mix or present food, such as salad, fruit or soup, or other items.
Bowl
As much as is held by a bowl.
You can’t have any more soup – you’ve had three bowls already.
Bowl
(cooking) A dish comprising a mix of different foods, not all of which need be cooked, served in a bowl.
This restaurant offers a number of different bowls.
Poke bowl
Bowl
A haircut in which straight hair is cut at an even height around the edges, forming a bowl shape.
Bowl
The round hollow part of anything.
Direct the cleaning fluid around the toilet bowl and under the rim.
Bowl
The part of a spoon that holds content, as opposed to the handle.
Bowl
A part of a pipe or bong packed with marijuana for smoking
Let's smoke a bowl!
Bowl
(typography) A rounded portion of a glyph that encloses empty space, as in the letters d and o.
Bowl
(landforms) A round crater (or similar) in the ground.
Bowl
An elliptical-shaped stadium or amphitheater resembling a bowl.
Bowl
(American football) A postseason football competition, a bowl game (i.e. Rose Bowl, Super Bowl)
Bowl
The ball rolled by players in the game of lawn bowls.
Bowl
The action of bowling a ball.
Bowl
The game of bowls.
Bowl
(transitive) To roll or throw (a ball) in the correct manner in cricket and similar games and sports.
Bowl
(intransitive) To throw the ball (in cricket and similar games and sports).
Bowl
(intransitive) To play bowling or a similar game.
Bowl
To roll or carry smoothly on, or as on, wheels.
We were bowled rapidly along the road.
Bowl
To pelt or strike with anything rolled.
Bowl
A concave vessel of various forms (often approximately hemispherical), to hold liquids, etc.
Brought them food in bowls of basswood.
Bowl
Specifically, a drinking vessel for wine or other spirituous liquors; hence, convivial drinking.
Bowl
The contents of a full bowl; what a bowl will hold.
Bowl
The hollow part of a thing; as, the bowl of a spoon.
Bowl
A ball of wood or other material used for rolling on a level surface in play; a ball of hard wood having one side heavier than the other, so as to give it a bias when rolled.
Bowl
An ancient game, popular in Great Britain, played with biased balls on a level plat of greensward.
Like an uninstructed bowler, . . . who thinks to attain the jack by delivering his bowl straightforward upon it.
Bowl
The game of tenpins or bowling.
Bowl
To roll, as a bowl or cricket ball.
Break all the spokes and fellies from her wheel,And bowl the round nave down the hill of heaven.
Bowl
To roll or carry smoothly on, or as on, wheels; as, we were bowled rapidly along the road.
Bowl
To pelt or strike with anything rolled.
Alas, I had rather be set quick i' the earth,And bowled to death with turnips
Bowl
To play with bowls.
Bowl
To roll a ball on a plane, as at cricket, bowls, etc.
Bowl
To move rapidly, smoothly, and like a ball; as, the carriage bowled along.
Bowl
A round vessel that is open at the top; used for holding fruit or liquids or for serving food
Bowl
A concave shape with an open top
Bowl
A dish that is round and open at the top for serving foods
Bowl
The quantity contained in a bowl
Bowl
A large structure for open-air sports or entertainments
Bowl
A wooden ball (with flattened sides) used in the game of bowls
Bowl
A small round container that is open at the top for holding tobacco
Bowl
Roll (a ball)
Bowl
Engage in the sport of bowling;
My parents like to bowl on Friday nights
Bowl
A round, deep dish used for eating or serving food.
She filled the bowl with fresh salad.
Bowl
A dish used to serve liquids like soup or cereals.
He poured milk into his cereal bowl.
Bowl
A piece of tableware typically found in kitchens.
They displayed an ornate bowl on the dining table.
Bowl
A dish that can also be decorative or functional.
The ceramic bowl was hand-painted.
Common Curiosities
What is a bowl?
A bowl is a round, deep dish used for eating, serving, or preparing food.
Can a bowl be used for liquids and solids?
Yes, bowls are versatile and can be used for both liquids and solids.
Is bowlful a precise measurement?
Bowlful is not a precise measurement but gives an approximate volume based on the bowl's size.
What does bowlful mean?
Bowlful refers to the amount that a bowl can hold, often used as a measurement in cooking.
What materials are bowls made from?
Bowls can be made from ceramic, glass, plastic, metal, and more.
What is a common use for a bowlful?
A bowlful is commonly used to refer to a serving size of food.
Are bowlful and cupful the same?
No, bowlful and cupful are different, as a bowl generally holds more than a cup.
Are there different types of bowls?
Yes, there are various types, including soup bowls, salad bowls, and mixing bowls.
How is bowlful used in recipes?
Bowlful is used to describe the quantity of an ingredient that fills a bowl.
How do you determine a bowlful in cooking?
A bowlful is determined by filling the bowl to its brim with the ingredient.
What is the significance of a bowl in table settings?
Bowls are essential in table settings for serving various dishes.
Can a bowl be decorative?
Yes, bowls can also serve decorative purposes besides their functional use.
Do all bowls have the same capacity?
No, the capacity of bowls varies depending on their size and shape.
Is bowlful a standard unit of measurement?
No, bowlful is an informal measurement based on the bowl's size.
Can bowlful be used to describe non-food items?
While primarily used for food, bowlful can describe any content that fills a bowl.
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Written by
Maham Liaqat
Co-written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
