British English term for diapers that babies wear to absorb urine and feces.
From 'nap' or possibly from 'napkin' (a cloth for wiping). The shortened form 'nappy' became standard British English while Americans preferred 'diaper,' which comes from 'diapre' (patterned fabric).
The same item has completely different names across English-speaking countries—Americans say 'diaper,' British say 'nappy,' Australians say 'nappy'—and this is a perfect example of how English fragmented into regional dialects after colonization, with each country developing its own vocabulary.
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