kjøttfull

Kjøttfull is a Norwegian adjective meaning rich in meat or containing a lot of meat. It can describe a dish with generous portions of meat, a menu centered around meat, or a person or animal that is well-nourished. In culinary contexts, the term emphasizes the meat content rather than vegetables or grains. In a broader sense, it can describe someone’s physique as well-fed, though this use can be considered somewhat archaic or informal.

The word is a compound of kjøtt (meat) and full (full). It follows the productive pattern of attributive compounds in Norwegian. Cognates exist in other North Germanic languages, such as Swedish köttfull, with a similar meaning.

The adjective inflects like other two-syllable adjectives ending in -full: common form kjøttfull before masculine or feminine nouns, neuter singular uses kjøttfullt, and plural kjøttfulle. Examples: en kjøttfull middag, et kjøttfullt måltid, kjøttfulle retter.

Usage examples illustrate its meaning: Middagen var kjøttfull, med flere forskjellige kjøttretter. Gryten var kjøttfull og mettende. In contemporary writing, the term is primarily found in recipes, menus, or descriptive culinary prose to signal heartiness or traditional meat-heavy cooking.

See also: meat-centric cuisine, magert (lean), kjøttgryte, norskordlitteratur.