Apron

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈeɪ.pɹən/

Definitions

1. A protective garment worn over the front of one's clothes, typically while cooking or doing messy work
2. A garment designed to be worn over the front of clothing to protect against stains while cooking, crafting, or performing hands-on activities
3. A type of clothing accessory that covers the front of the body to shield garments from dirt and spills during tasks like cooking or crafting

Etymology: The most surprising thing about "apron" is that it lost an "n" it once had. Middle English speakers said "a napron," but when the article "a" ran into the noun, listeners heard "a napron" as "an apron," and the "n" slid onto the article instead of staying on the noun. The same kind of slip happened to "adder," "newt," and "umpire," which were once "a nadder," "an ewt," and "a noumpere." The word came from Old French "napperon," a little cloth, which was a diminutive of "nappe," meaning tablecloth. That French word traces back to Latin "mappa," a napkin or cloth. So the apron began as a small piece of table linen, and its present sense of a garment worn over the front of the body developed from that original household cloth.

Synonyms: smock, bib, cover, protective garment, overall