nappy

¹ American  

[nap-ee] / ˈnæp i /

noun

Chiefly Scot.

1. liquor, especially ale.

---

nappy ² American  

[nap-ee] / ˈnæp i /

Or nappie

noun

nappies plural

1. a small shallow dish, usually round and often of glass, with a flat bottom and sloping sides, for serving food.

---

nappy ³ American  

[nap-ee] / ˈnæp i /

adjective

nappier, nappiest

1. Sometimes Offensive. (especially of a Black person's hair) tightly curled; kinky.

2. covered with nap; downy.

---

nappy ⁴ American  

[nap-ee] / ˈnæp i /

noun

British.

nappies plural

1. a diaper.

---

nappy ¹ British  

/ ˈnæpɪ /

adjective

1. having a nap; downy; fuzzy

2. 1. having a head; frothy

   2. strong or heady

3. dialect slightly intoxicated; tipsy

4. (of a horse) jumpy or irritable; nervy

---

noun

1. any strong alcoholic drink, esp heady beer

nappy ² British  

/ ˈnæpɪ /

noun

1. Also called: napkin.  US and Canadian name: diaper.  a piece of soft material, esp towelling or a disposable material, wrapped around a baby in order to absorb its urine and excrement

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nappiness
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• nappies
  plural

Etymology

Origin of nappy¹

First recorded in 1425–75; origin uncertain; probably from late Middle English noppi; see nap ², -y ¹

Origin of nappy²

First recorded in 1730–35; Middle English nap, Old English hnæpf, hnæp “cup, bowl” (further origin uncertain) + -y ²

Origin of nappy³

First recorded in 1490–1500; nap ² + -y ¹

Origin of nappy⁴

First recorded in 1925–30; nap(kin) + -y ²

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

nappy nappies nappiest

“You also see the outside: baby’s dirty nappy or Margo’s ordinary knickers or track pants, all the unglamorous and unsexy things.”

From Los Angeles Times ● May 20, 2026

Kearns continued: "The child was completely dry. They had a nappy in situ, which appeared to be appropriately placed."

From BBC ● May 5, 2026

There was a large nappy on his head and hands and he had a wet wipe type cloth inserted in his mouth.

From BBC ● Jan. 20, 2026

"Being with my son, holding him, changing his nappy, making sure that Johanne pumps her milk before going to bed in the evening."

From BBC ● Nov. 21, 2025

Anna goes across into the kitchen and changes the child’s nappy on the table.

From "The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins

I was lucky because I was there for my son’s first year — I didn’t have any Radiohead, so I changed the first nappies, and I loved it.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026

The British men's number three was born near Paris to his French parents before the family moved to Wimbledon when he was still in nappies.

From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026

A handful of mainly religious and aid groups hand out food, water, sanitary towels and nappies.

From Barron's ● Jun. 17, 2026

Litter picking team Porthcawl Wombles collected around 18 bags of rubbish on one morning in the town last week - even picking up items such as nappies and sanitary pads.

From BBC ● May 29, 2026

“We just run out of milk powder, and we got nothing else to give her. And we need more nappies, the throwaway ones. Anything babies need, really. And medicine.”

From "The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage" by Philip Pullman

O, born beneath the Fishes' sign, Of constellations happiest, May he somewhere with Walton dine, May Horace send him Massic wine, And Burns Scotch drink,—the nappiest!

From The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 18, No. 105, July 1866 by Various

Oh, born beneath the Fishes' sign,   Of constellations happiest, May he somewhere with Walton dine, May Horace send him Massic wine,   And Burns Scotch drink, the nappiest!

From The Complete Poetical Works of James Russell Lowell by Lowell, James Russell

Related Words

• diaper