nappy
1 of 4adjective
nap·py ˈna-pē 
nappier; nappiest
1
of hair, informal + sometimes offensive : naturally coarse and tightly coiled : kinky sense 1
He looks hip and relaxed in jeans and a floppy salt-and-pepper sweater, a soul patch beneath his lower lip, his hair cropped short and stylishly nappy.
Jeffrey Tayler
Jeffrey TaylerA Nova Scotia court martial heard contrasting views from witnesses Monday on whether a white reservist's use of the word "nappy" to describe a black co-worker's hair was intended as a racial slur. The Calgary Herald
The Calgary HeraldIn "Nappy Hair," the 51-year-old Herron, who is black, tells how her uncle taught her to celebrate her hair—and her culture. The controversy caught her by surprise, since Herron does not regard the word "nappy," or frizzy, as negative. Lisa Meyer
Lisa Meyer2
: having a hairy, fuzzy, or downy surface
Press velvets, velours, corduroy, or other nappy fabrics on the wrong side; don't let the iron rest on the fabric. Consumer Reports
Consumer ReportsThrift and resale shops are no longer a haven for nappy sweaters and faded blue jeans. Natalie Boehme
Natalie Boehmenappy
2 of 4noun (1)
plural nappies
chiefly British
: diaper sense 3
nappy
3 of 4noun (2)
plural nappies
: a rimless shallow open serving dish
nappy
4 of 4noun (3)
chiefly Scotland
: liquor
specifically : ale
Word History
Etymology
Adjective
nap entry 3
Noun (1)
napkin + -y entry 4
Noun (2)
English dialect nap bowl, from Middle English, from Old English hnǣpp; akin to Old High German hnapf bowl
Noun (3)
obsolete nappy, adjective, foaming
First Known Use
Adjective
1885, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Noun (1)
1927, in the meaning defined above
Noun (2)
1731, in the meaning defined above
Noun (3)
circa 1550, in the meaning defined above
nappy 1 of 2
adjective
as in puffy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- puffy
- fluffy
- downy
- shaggy
- hairy
- woolly
- furry
- wooly
- fuzzy
- rough
- hairlike
nappy
2 of 2noun
as in mum
Synonyms & Similar Words
- mum
- beer
- tot
- ale
- cocktail
- brew
- pop
- belt
- load
- malt liquor
- wine
- mixed drink
- mead
- gin
- home brew
- peg
- slug
- brandy
- brewage
- nip
- brewski
- whiskey
- snort
- sake
- microbrew
- snifter
- vodka
- mescal
- bottle
- shooter
- tequila
- whisky
- chaser
- whet
- saki
- liqueur
- bracer
- schnapps
- barley-broo
- grog
- rum
- drink
- tipple
- booze
- shot
- liquor
- alcohol
- strong drink
- nightcap
- aperitif
- mao-tai
- stimulant
- hooch
- barley-bree
- aqua vitae
- firewater
- lush
- juice
- intoxicant
- ardent spirits
- digestif
- spirits
- Dutch courage
- sauce
- moonshine
- potable
- inebriant
- John Barleycorn
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- nonintoxicant
- perfectibilian
- perfectibilians
- perfectibilism
- perfectibilist
- perfectibilists
- perfectibilitarian
- perfectibilities
- perfectibility
- perfectible
- perfecting
- perfecting press
- perfection
- perfection loop knot
- perfectionate
- perfectionated
- perfectionates
- perfectionating
- perfectionism
- perfectionisms
- perfectionist
- perfectionistic
- perfectionists
- perfectionize
- perfectionment
- perfections