Middle English

edit

Alternative forms

edit

Etymology

edit

Borrowed from Old French napperon (tablecloth); related to nape (tablecloth). The initial n was frequently reinterpreted as part of the preceding article in this word.[1]

Pronunciation

edit
  • IPA(key): /ˌ(n)aːp(ə)ˈruːn/, /ˌ(n)ap(ə)-/, /-ˈroːn/, /ˈ(n)aːp(ə)run/, /ˈ(n)ap(ə)run/

Noun

edit

naperoun (plural naperouns)

  1. An apron or smock (garment worn over torso)[2]
  2. A bishop's apron; a short cassock.

Descendants

edit
  • English: apron
  • Scots: apern, aupron, awpron

References

edit
  1. ^ Jordan, Richard (1974)  Eugene Crook, transl., Handbook of the Middle English Grammar: Phonology (Janua Linguarum; 214)‎[1], The Hague: Mouton & Co. N.V., →DOI, § 171, page 161.
  2. ^ nāprō̆n, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.