What does diaper mean?
A diaper is an absorbent garment worn around the hips by infants and by adults with incontinence, designed to be changed once soiled. In North American English it is the standard term, while most other varieties of English prefer nappy; the word can also serve as a verb meaning to put a diaper on a child. Less obviously, diaper has an older life as a textile term: it names a fabric woven with a small repeating diamond pattern, or that pattern itself, a sense still met with in discussions of medieval linens and church vestments. The word entered English via Old French from Medieval Latin, ultimately tracing back to a Greek adjective describing something pure white or brilliant. Today the everyday sense dominates completely — diapers appear constantly in talk of parenting, childcare, travel, and household shopping — yet its decorative textile origin gives the word an unexpected depth.
An absorbent garment worn by babies and incontinent adults, fastened around the hips and changed when wet or soiled.
"Newborns may go through ten or more diapers a day."
Chiefly US and Canada; equivalent to British nappy.
A fabric woven with a small repeated diamond pattern, or the pattern itself.
"The altar frontal was rich with diaper work in gold thread."
Historical or specialist usage, common in art history.
To put a diaper on someone.
"He learned to diaper a wiggling infant one-handed."
Standard plural for both the countable garment sense and the textile-pattern sense.
"They stocked up on diapers before the baby arrived."
The word 'diaper' originally described neither baby nor garment but a fabric pattern of tiny diamonds — the cloth itself gave the name to what it was made into.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of diaper
Diaper came into Middle English from Old French diaspre, itself from Medieval Latin diasprum, which derived from Greek diaspros, meaning white or pure. The earliest English sense referred to a costly fabric woven with a small diamond pattern, used for towels and table linens; the name of the cloth was then transferred to garments cut from it. The modern baby-garment sense became standard in American usage, while British English settled on nappy, a diminutive of napkin.
Related word forms
How diaper is actually used
Primarily North American English; British, Irish, Australian, and New Zealand English use 'nappy'. As a verb, 'to diaper' means to put a diaper on someone. The textile sense survives mostly in art history and descriptions of medieval fabrics.
Easily confused with diaper
Dapper means neat and stylish in appearance, while a diaper is an absorbent undergarment — the words merely look somewhat similar in print.