diaper
/ˈdaɪ(ə).pəɹ/
Frequency: 3.49 in modern English
Meaning
noun
An absorbent garment worn around the crotch that retains the wearer's urine and feces, often worn by a baby or young child who is not yet toilet trained, by an adult who is incontinent (who wets the bed), or under extreme working conditions without access to a toilet; a nappy.
Canadian usage; Indian usage; American usage; Countable; Uncountable
noun
A container that absorbs and collects (retains) liquid or waste material, similar to a diaper (noun sense 1).
Canadian usage; American usage; Colloquial; Countable; Humorous; Uncountable
noun
A piece of clothing that resembles the shape of a diaper (noun sense 1) but lacks the absorbency.
Canadian usage; American usage; Colloquial; Countable; Derogatory; Humorous
noun
A textile fabric having a repeating pattern, especially of diamonds or flowers, formed by alternating directions of thread.
Countable; Uncountable
noun
A repeating geometrical or (often stylized) floral pattern, usually of small diamonds evenly spaced, that decorates a flat surface, sometimes in bas-relief; diaperwork.
Countable; Uncountable
noun
A repeating geometrical or floral pattern, used to cover the surface of a shield and forming the ground for any charges.
Countable; Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "cloth diaper, disposable diaper, nighttime diaper, swim diaper"
- "A bag of baby-clothes, containing 1 ſheet, 1 ſhi[r]t, 1 bedgown, 12 diapers, 2 child's bedgowns, 2 child's ſhirts, 2 child's robes, 2 child's nightcaps and a wrapper."
- "You push it up the vagina while lying on your back, and retain it there by a bandage around, as in wearing diapers. It may be taken out at night after laying down; but must be pushed up in the morning before rising."
- "We have repeatedly known children have from six to ten discharges of yellow-coloured fæces per day, for many days, without injury, provided they nursed well and were well attended to. […] We are far from wishing to make nurses or mothers indifferent to this state of things, but we do wish, for the sake of the welfare of the important little beings intrusted to their care, that they will not think, because they are too free in the bowels, and give the nurse a great deal of trouble to change the diapers frequently, they must take paregoric to check them."
- "Perhaps you will find space in your charming magazine for the following description of suspenders I made to keep my baby's diaper in place. I had never seen them before, although other mothers may have something similar for the purpose."
- "A midwife should always visit her patient within twelve hours after labour, and she should make a routine practice of enquiring whether or not her urine has been passed. […] She must thoroughly cleanse her patient, change her diaper, tighten or change her binder, and clear away all soiled things from under her."
Etymology
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈdaɪ(ə).pəɹ/
- British English: /ˈdaɪ(ə).pə/