The amount of something that can be held in one or both arms at once.
Compound noun combining 'arm' and 'load', following the pattern of other '-load' compounds like 'carload' and 'boatload'. Emerged in Middle English as a practical measurement unit for everyday quantities.
Before standardized measurements, people used their own bodies as measuring tools—an 'armload' of firewood or grain was a useful practical unit that varied slightly person to person, much like how we still use 'handful' today.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.