Etymograph

English

apron

Apron comes from napron (a napron > an apron), from Middle English naperoun ‘an apron or smock’, and ultimately from Latin mappa ‘napkin’.

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmappa1‘napkin’
  2. Old Frenchc. 842–1400napperon1
  3. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500naperoun1‘an apron or smock’
  4. English1500–presentnapron1
  5. Englishtodayapron1

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, English apron

Lineage

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmappaWiktionary, English apron‘napkin’
  2. Old Frenchc. 842–1400napperonWiktionary, English apron
  3. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500naperounWiktionary, English apron‘an apron or smock’
  4. English1500–presentnapronWiktionary, English apron
  5. EnglishtodayapronWiktionary, English apron

The story

For other similar cases of rebracketing, see adder, daffodil, newt, nickname, orange, trickle, umpire.

Full etymology on Wiktionary

Linked words

pairs

  • apron and map both from Latin mappa ‘napkin’

through Latin mappa ‘napkin’

mop, nape, 2 more

Today it means

noun An article of clothing worn over the front of the torso and/or legs for protection from spills; also historically worn by Freemasons and as part of women's fashion.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “apron”. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Latin mappa / apron

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