bushel

1 of 2

noun

bush·​el ˈbu̇-shəl 

1

: any of various units of dry capacity see Weights and Measures Table

2

: a container holding a bushel

3

: a large quantity

bushels of money

bushel

2 of 2

verb

busheled; busheling ˈbu̇-sh(ə-)liŋ 

: repair, renovate

busheler

ˈbu̇-sh(ə-)lər 

noun

Synonyms of bushel

Noun

• ton
• dozen
• loads
• plenty
• slew
• quantity
• bunch
• pile
• chunk

Examples of bushel in a Sentence

Noun

picked up a bushel of decorations at the after-Christmas sale

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Commodity markets price the next available bushel, the next vessel and the next reliable supplier. — Phil Kafarakis, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026

Maybe next week, the boys could wade into the river near Mancelona and collect bushels of watercress, which carpeted the surface there. — Rozina Ali, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026

Last year, Ian Stamy took the state prize for his bumper soybean yield, coaxing an average of just over 100 bushels per acre from his operation in central Pennsylvania. — Scott Neuman, NPR, 20 Aug. 2026

What’s a gardener to do with bushels of perfectly ripe, juicy tomatoes or dozens of colorful bell peppers? — Brittany Vanderbill, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English busshel, from Anglo-French bussel, buschelle, from Old French boisse measure of grain, of Celtic origin; akin to Middle Irish boss breadth of the hand

Verb

probably from German bosseln to do poor work, to patch; akin to Old English bēatan to beat

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1877, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing bushel

• hide one's light under a bushel

Kids Definition

bushel

noun

bush·​el

ˈbu̇sh-əl

1

: any of various units of dry capacity see measure

2

: a container holding a bushel

3

: a large quantity