diaper

American  

[dahy-per, dahy-uh-per] / ˈdaɪ pər, ˈdaɪ ə pər /

noun

diapers plural

1. a piece of cloth or other absorbent material folded and worn as underpants by a baby not yet toilet-trained.

2. Also called diaper cloth.  a linen or cotton fabric with a woven pattern of small, constantly repeated figures, as diamonds.

3. Also called diaper pattern.  such a pattern, originally used in the Middle Ages in weaving silk and gold.

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verb (used with object)

diapers, present (3rd person singular) diapered, past participle, past diapering present participle

1. to put a diaper on.

2. to ornament with a diaperlike pattern.

diaper British  

/ ˈdaɪəpə /

noun

1. Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): nappy.  a piece of soft material, esp towelling or a disposable material, wrapped around a baby in order to absorb its excrement

2. 1. a woven pattern on fabric consisting of a small repeating design, esp diamonds

   2. fabric having such a pattern

   3. such a pattern, used as decoration

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verb

1. (tr) to decorate with such a pattern

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• undiapered
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• diapers
  plural

Participles

• diapering
  present
• diapered
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• diaper
  simple
• diapers
  simple
• have diapered
  perfect
• has diapered
  perfect
• am diapering
  progressive
• are diapering
  progressive
• is diapering
  progressive
• have been diapering
  perfect progressive
• has been diapering
  perfect progressive

Past

• diapered
  simple
• had diapered
  perfect
• was diapering
  progressive
• were diapering
  progressive
• had been diapering
  perfect progressive

Future

• will diaper
  simple
• will have diapered
  perfect
• will be diapering
  progressive
• will have been diapering
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of diaper

1300–50; Middle English diapre < Anglo-French dia(s)p(r)e < Medieval Latin diasprus made of diaper < Medieval Greek díaspros pure white, equivalent to Greek di- di- ³ ( def. ) + Medieval Greek áspros white

Explanation

A diaper is what babies wear before they’re potty trained. It’s a white cloth or other disposable fabric that’s folded up between the baby’s legs to catch the poop and whatnot. Awwww, isn’t that cute? In many countries, a diaper is also called a "nappy.” A baby can wear a diaper, but you can also diaper a baby, which means to put a diaper on. The word diaper comes from an Old French root, diaspre meaning "ornamental cloth." Over time it also came to mean a "towel or napkin" and by the 1830s, it had the modern sense of a cloth used to swaddle a baby's bottom.

Example Sentences

Then, hoping to avoid any urgent diaper events, I ducked into the next room and dialed up the president.

From Salon • Jun. 24, 2026

She would need to cut the umbilical cord herself and return to the hospital for care in a diaper, her fetus wrapped in towels and the cord hanging between her legs.

From Salon • May 27, 2026

The free diaper distribution is an attempt to address the Golden State’s affordability crisis.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026

The National Diaper Bank Network, a national nonprofit that tracks diaper insecurity, found about 60% of low-income families nationwide struggle with the cost of diapers and rely on less-frequent changes to get by.

From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2026

After the soft-feeling powder got sprinkled on his bottom, which he liked so much that he always smiled—and they loved it when he smiled—then his mom would put the dry diaper on.

From "All About Sam" by Lois Lowry

Related Words

• nappy