pap

pronunciation

How to pronounce pap in British English: UK [pæp]word uk audio image

How to pronounce pap in American English: US [pæp] word us audio image

  • Noun:
    worthless or oversimplified ideas
    a diet that does not require chewing; advised for those with intestinal disorders
    the small projection of a mammary gland

Word Origin

pap (n.1)
"soft food for infants," late 14c., from Old French pape "watered gruel," from Latin pappa, a widespread word in children's language for "food" (Middle High German and Dutch pap, German Pappe, Spanish, Portuguese papa, Italian pappa), imitative of an infant's noise when hungry; possibly associated with pap (n.2). Meaning "over-simplified idea" first recorded 1540s.
pap (n.2)
"nipple of a woman's breast," c. 1200, first attested in Northern and Midlands writing, probably from a Scandinavian source (not recorded in Old Norse, but compare dialectal Swedish pappe), from PIE imitative root *pap- "to swell" (cognates: Latin papilla "nipple," papula "a swelling, pimple;" Lithuanian papas "nipple").
pap (n.3)
"older man," 1844, shortening of papa.

Example

1. The pap should still win comfortably .
2. A pap spokesman wasn 't immediately available to comment .
3. She cannot yet imagine a singapore that is not run by the pap .
4. This is a pap smear .
5. The pap test isn 't just good for women .

more: >How to Use "pap" with Example Sentences