nappier; nappiest
1
informal + sometimes offensive, of hair
: naturally coarse and tightly coiled : kinky sense 1
He looks hip and relaxed in jeans and a floppy salt-and-pepper sweater, a soul patch beneath his lower lip, his hair cropped short and stylishly nappy.—
Jeffrey Tayler
Jeffrey TaylerA Nova Scotia court martial heard contrasting views from witnesses Monday on whether a white reservist's use of the word "nappy" to describe a black co-worker's hair was intended as a racial slur.—The Calgary Herald
The Calgary HeraldIn "Nappy Hair," the 51-year-old Herron, who is black, tells how her uncle taught her to celebrate her hair—and her culture. The controversy caught her by surprise, since Herron does not regard the word "nappy," or frizzy, as negative.—Lisa Meyer
Lisa Meyer2
: having a hairy, fuzzy, or downy surface
Press velvets, velours, corduroy, or other nappy fabrics on the wrong side; don't let the iron rest on the fabric.—Consumer Reports
Consumer ReportsThrift and resale shops are no longer a haven for nappy sweaters and faded blue jeans.—Natalie Boehme
Natalie BoehmeExamples of nappy in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
George Caulkin, The Athletic, 7 Aug. 2024
The results are wondrous: a delightfully discordant fever dream that covers high fashion nappies, boots inspired by André Courrèges, and a puff-sleeve wedding dress suggesting both restriction and a strange kind of freedom.
—Liam Hess, Vogue, 8 Mar. 2024
And what is more Rich Mom than a Bottega clutch bag big enough for nappies, wet wipes and a handful of Fenty beauty products?
—Alex Kessler, Vogue, 10 Oct. 2023
At the same time, the urban population growth was spurring a massive increase in the use of non-recyclable waste products, including tons of disposable nappies.
—Carolyn Barber, Fortune, 13 July 2023
Diaper blowouts and other incredibly smelly nappies are a part of caring for a baby.
—Dorian Smith-Garcia, Parents, 26 July 2023
The idea of finding any way to repurpose these nappies ought to be applauded.
—Carolyn Barber, Fortune, 13 July 2023
This nappy is another all-in-one option, providing several snaps to suit most little swimmers up to 2 years old.
—Bridget Degnan, Parents, 15 June 2023
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
There are plenty of dirty nappies at the minute, so we’re being kept quite busy!
—George Caulkin, The Athletic, 7 Aug. 2024
The results are wondrous: a delightfully discordant fever dream that covers high fashion nappies, boots inspired by André Courrèges, and a puff-sleeve wedding dress suggesting both restriction and a strange kind of freedom.
—Liam Hess, Vogue, 8 Mar. 2024
And what is more Rich Mom than a Bottega clutch bag big enough for nappies, wet wipes and a handful of Fenty beauty products?
—Alex Kessler, Vogue, 10 Oct. 2023
At the same time, the urban population growth was spurring a massive increase in the use of non-recyclable waste products, including tons of disposable nappies.
—Carolyn Barber, Fortune, 13 July 2023
Diaper blowouts and other incredibly smelly nappies are a part of caring for a baby.
—Dorian Smith-Garcia, Parents, 26 July 2023
The idea of finding any way to repurpose these nappies ought to be applauded.
—Carolyn Barber, Fortune, 13 July 2023
This nappy is another all-in-one option, providing several snaps to suit most little swimmers up to 2 years old.
—Bridget Degnan, Parents, 15 June 2023
Dictionary Entries Near nappy
Cite this Entry
“Nappy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nappy. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share