nape
/neɪp/ noun, verb
Forms napes naping naped
- noun (anatomy) The back part of the neck.
- noun (zoology) The part of a fish or bird immediately behind the head.
- noun (obsolete) A tablecloth.
- noun (military, slang) Napalm.
- verb (transitive, military, slang) To bombard with napalm.
Synonyms
Etymology
From Middle English nape, naape, of uncertain origin. Possibly from Old French hanap (“goblet”), from Frankish *hnapp, from Proto-Germanic *hnappaz ( > Old English hnæpp, hnæp (“cup, bowl, goblet”)), as there is a hollow at the base of the skull. More at nap.
From Middle English nape, from Old French nape, nappe (“a cloth”), from Medieval Latin nappa, napa (“cloth, table-cloth, sheet”), alteration of Latin mappa (“a cloth, napkin, towel”). More at map, apron. Doublet of map, mop, and nappe.
Short for napalm.
Webster’s 1913
Etymology [Perh. akin to knap a knop.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “nape”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details