1. 1. A folded piece of absorbent material, such as paper or cloth, that is placed between a baby's legs and fastened at the waist to contain excretions.
   2. A similar piece of material, worn by incontinent adults.
2. 1. A white cotton or linen fabric patterned with small, duplicative diamond-shaped figures.
   2. A piece of such cloth.
   3. Such a pattern.

1. To put a diaper on.
2. To weave or decorate in a diamond-shaped pattern.

[Middle English, a patterned fabric, from Old French diapre, diaspre, from Medieval Latin diasprum, a white silken material, from Medieval Greek diaspros, pure white : dia-, intensive pref.; see dia- + aspros, white (probably from Latin asper, rough).]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.