In English forming adjectives or adverbs can be an easy task. A noun can change its meaning by adding a suffix or another adjective. For instance, friend changes to friendly, correct changes to correctly, and so on. When writing, you must take into account the rules that each word should follow. What are the rules for a term such as power?
In case you wonder, the correct spelling is powerful. The noun power becomes an adjective or adverb by adding the suffix -ful. “Powerfull” is not an English word.
One might think that you should add the word “full” at the end. However, it is not the case. Let’s find out more information about the origin of these words and what other suffixes you can use to create adjectives and adverbs.
Understanding The Terms “Powerfull” And “Powerful”
We have to explain why one of these terms is correct while the other is not. For that reason, we will review more details about where these words come from, especially the term “powerful.”
Etymology
The word “powerful” is a compound word formed by the noun “power” and the suffix “-ful.” It originated somewhere at the end of the 15th century, though the exact date remains unknown.
When it comes to the word “power,” we can find its roots in the Greek term pósis, which meant “the act of drinking” and also was used as “husband.”
The term pósis made its way into Latin as potis. It remained as “husband, owner” and acquired an additional meaning as “capable.” Additionally, the word possum appeared as another variation of the word, which can be translated as “I am capable.”
Later on, during the crisis of the Roman Empire, the term “possum” was replaced by the word potēre. The French incorporated into its dialects as poeir, which means “power.” And finally, it made its way into English as power.
The suffix -ful is used to express the adjective that has the characteristics of the noun.
Meaning Of Powerful
Some of the meanings of the word powerful include:
- Something that has great power
- Something that has influence over another thing
- Something that has a strong effect
- Something that can control an event or people
How People Use These Terms
People use the word “powerful” as an adjective. But there are other instances where it can be an adverb. As an adverb, people use it as a synonym for the word “very.”
The term “powerfull” doesn’t currently exist in English. We are not quite sure if it ever did. But when you write it, you will find that all auto-correct software will change it to “powerful.”
In marketing, we see powerful words, which are expressions that can impact your reader and catch their attention. These terms usually generate a response from the reader, and you will use them to get an action from your target.
Powerful words can be divided based on which emotion or psychological trait they expect to impact. You can classify them as:
- Fear words
- Anger words
- Trust words
- Vanity words
- Lust words
- Sloth words
- Curiosity words
- Greed words
- Humorous words
- Prestige words
- Memorability words
- Excitement words
- Impatience words
- Exclusivity words
- Pride words
In grammar, you will form the superlative and comparative forms of the adjective by adding the terms “more” and “the most” before the word “powerful.”
How To Pronounce The Word “Powerful”
The IPA defines the symbols for powerful as /ˈpaʊ.ɚ.fəl/, there are three syllables in the word, and the first one would be the stressed one.
You will start with your lips closed together while pushing air from your throat to make the /p/ sound. The next is the vowel sound /aʊ/, which is the same sound in the word “out.” You will vibrate your vocal cords to make the sound; your lips will be rounded to make the /a/ sound, and then they will move into an almost closed position to make the /ʊ/ sound. Your tongue will remain in a relaxed place at the bottom of your mouth.
The second syllable is the -er- portion. The syllable is unstressed, and here we have a schwa sound combined with an /r/ sound. To make this sound, your mouth will remain in the close rounded position, and your tongue to the back of your throat while vibrating to make a soft /r/.
The final syllable is -ful. It is also an unstressed syllable, and here the vowel sound is also a schwa sound. In this case, since the vowel appears between two consonants, we will move from the first consonant directly into the second consonant sound. Your mouth relaxed, upper teeth touching your lower lip while you push air from your throat. Then quickly release the seal between your teeth and lips, move the tip of your tongue to touch the inner part of your upper teeth while vibrating your vocal cords to make the /l/ sound.
Other Terms Related To The Word “Powerful”
There are other terms related to the word “powerful,” let’s see a list of synonyms and antonyms.
Synonyms Of “Powerful”
Some of the expressions you can use to replace the term “powerful” include:
- Capable
- Dominant
- Influential
- Mighty
- Important
- Prominent
- Major-league
- Significant
- Vigorous
- Strong as an ox
Antonyms Of The Word “Powerful”
Here we have a list of terms and expressions you can use to convey the opposite meaning of the word “powerful.”
- Powerless
- Weak
- Unfit
- Ineffective
- Impotent
- Inadequate
- Defenseless
- Wishy-washy
- Weak-kneed
- Fearful
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Other Suffixes And Nouns Combinations
As we mentioned, the word powerful is compounded by a noun and a suffix that makes it an adjective. Here’s a list of some other words using this combination.
- Grateful
- Respectful
- Successful
- Meaningful
- Stressful
- Colorful
- Careful
- Hopeful
- Useful
- Painful
Common Questions
What is “powerfull”?
It is a typo of the word “powerful.” Also, some people consider it could be an archaic form of the word.
What are some powerful words?
Some of the most common powerful words you can find in marketing strategies include:
- Inspiring
- Glamorous
- Hilarious
- Effortless
- Exposed
- Bold
- Essential
- Instantly
- Brilliant
- Sneak-peak
What is the most powerful word in English?
English’s most powerful word is “the,” not because of its meaning, rather its functionality. This article appears around five times per every hundred written words.
Example Sentences Using Powerful
Here we brought you a list of sample sentences using the word powerful.
- The way she talked during the meeting had a powerful impact on everyone in the crew.
- No one can argue that wearing a suit and tie really makes any man look more powerful.
- I loved this play; the main character had this powerful presence on the stage; it gave me goosebumps.
- The United States, Russia, and the People’s Republic of China are the three most powerful countries globally.
- Don’t let her petite figure distract you; she is one of the most powerful women I know in this organization.
- Today’s social media relies on powerful words to catch people’s attention and keep them engaged.
- Once we got to know each other, I understood the powerful motivator he had to keep going.
- Some people are not as powerful as we perceive them. Sometimes it’s all a smokescreen to hide their insecurities and fears.
- One of the most powerful quotes from Ruth Bader Ginsberg is, “I’m a firm believer in listening and learning from others.”
Final Thoughts About The Terms “Powerfull” and “Powerful”
“”Powerful” is the correct spelling of the term. The word “powerfull” doesn’t exist in English. This term results from a combination of a noun and a suffix, which makes it an adjective.
Shawn Manaher is the founder and CEO of The Content Authority. He’s one part content manager, one part writing ninja organizer, and two parts leader of top content creators. You don’t even want to know what he calls pancakes.