/duy"peuhr, duy"euh peuhr/ , n.
1. a piece of cloth or other absorbent material folded and worn as underpants by a baby not yet toilet-trained.
2. Also called diaper cloth . a linen or cotton fabric with a woven pattern of small, constantly repeated figures, as diamonds.
3. Also called diaper pattern . such a pattern, originally used in the Middle Ages in weaving silk and gold.
v.t.
4. to put a diaper on.
5. to ornament with a diaperlike pattern.
[ 1300-50; ME diapre dia ( s ) p ( r ) e diasprus made of diaper díaspros pure white, equiv. to Gk di- DI 3 + MGk áspros white ]