Meaning & use
nappies
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“nappies” is a form of “nappy”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meaning
nounpluralBritish
Absorbent pieces of cloth or paper worn between the legs by babies and toddlers to catch urine and waste.
Grammar: Plural form of nappy; it takes a plural verb: the nappies are in the bag.
Patterns
- change someone's nappies
- a pack of nappies
We buy two big packs of nappies every week.
She ran out of nappies halfway through the trip.
Cloth nappies can be washed and used again many times.
Word forms
| singular | nappy |
|---|
Common combinations
- change nappies
- New parents quickly learn to change nappies in the dark.
- disposable nappies
- Disposable nappies are convenient but create a lot of rubbish.
- cloth nappies
- They switched to cloth nappies to save money.
- a pack of nappies
- Could you pick up a pack of nappies on your way home?
- dirty nappies
- The baby had three dirty nappies before lunch.
Synonyms and how they differ
- diapers
- Diapers is the standard American word for the same item, while nappies sounds British or Commonwealth.
- pull-ups
- Pull-ups are a kind of nappy with an elastic waist, used for toddlers who are being toilet trained, so the term is narrower.
Word family
- nappy noun
- one such item
- nappy rash noun
- sore red skin caused by wearing a wet or dirty nappy
- nappy bag noun
- a bag for carrying a baby's supplies
- nappy bin noun
- a container for used nappies
Commonly confused: nappies or napkins?
nappies vs napkins
Napkins are cloths or paper squares used at the table to wipe your mouth; they are not worn by babies, although British speakers once used napkin for nappy.
Practice
In British English, a parent who is changing a baby's clothes and wants a clean absorbent item to put on the baby would reach for a fresh ___.
Choose one answer.
A nappy is the item babies wear to catch waste. A bib protects clothes at mealtimes, and a napkin is used at the table, so they do not fit.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “nappies”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.