napkin

napkin — noun

1. a small sheet of fabric or thin paper that people put on their lap or pick up to

1.nounB1
Definition

a small sheet of fabric or thin paper that people put on their lap or pick up to clean their mouth and fingers while eating

Example

Christopher folded his cloth napkin neatly and placed it beside the plate after dinner.

cloth napkin — fabric reusable napkin at a meal

The waiter gave each guest a paper napkin and menu to start the meal.

paper napkin — disposable napkin at a restaurant

Common collocations
  • cloth napkin
  • paper napkin
  • linen napkin
  • napkin ring
  • fold a napkin
  • napkin holder
Synonyms
  • serviette

    chiefly British, slightly more formal or old-fashioned for a paper napkin

  • table napkin

    full form; clearer when context is needed to avoid confusion with other senses

Common Mistakes

Can I have a napkin for my runny nose?
Can I have a tissue for my runny nose?
A napkin is used at the dining table; a tissue is for blowing your nose.

2. a thick soft pad worn inside underwear to absorb menstrual blood during a person

2.nounB2
Definition

a thick soft pad worn inside underwear to absorb menstrual blood during a person's period

Example

Hui bought a box of sanitary napkins at the pharmacy near her office.

bought at a pharmacy — typical purchase location

A nurse told Mayumi she could find sanitary napkins in aisle three of the supermarket.

find in aisle [number] — supermarket location phrase

Common collocations
  • wear a sanitary napkin
  • change a sanitary napkin
  • disposable sanitary napkin
  • reusable sanitary pad
  • buy sanitary napkins
Synonyms
  • sanitary pad

    common alternative; pad alone is the usual casual term

  • sanitary towel

    standard British English term

  • pad

    informal everyday word; shorter and more common in speech

Usage Note

This sense is more common in US English; the British equivalent is sanitary towel. In everyday conversation, pad (B1) is the informal, more common word.

3. a soft absorbent garment that a baby wears around the lower body to catch and ho

3.nounB1
Definition

a soft absorbent garment that a baby wears around the lower body to catch and hold urine and solid waste

Example

Obi changed the baby's napkin after noticing it was wet.

change a napkin — standard phrase for replacing a diaper

Vikram brought a clean napkin and some baby wipes to the changing table.

napkin + baby wipes — items used together for changing

Common collocations
  • cloth napkin (for a baby)
  • disposable napkin
  • change a napkin
  • wet napkin
  • baby napkin
Synonyms
  • diaper

    modern US English term; more common than napkin for this meaning

  • nappy

    standard British English and Commonwealth term

Usage Note

This sense is chiefly US English and somewhat old-fashioned. In modern US English, diaper is the usual word. In UK English and other Commonwealth varieties, nappy is used.

Common Mistakes

The baby needs a clean napkin for the dinner table.
The baby needs a clean napkin for changing.' or better: 'The baby needs a clean diaper.
The context (baby, changing) disambiguates which napkin sense is intended.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Napkin, serviette, and tissue are all squares of paper or cloth, but they are used in different situations. A napkin is used at the dining table to protect clothes and wipe the mouth or fingers. A serviette (chiefly British) means the same thing but is slightly more formal or old-fashioned — many British speakers use napkin in daily life. A tissue is a soft paper square used for blowing your nose or wiping tears, never for meals. For example: 'Shirin unfolded her napkin and placed it on her lap before the soup arrived.' — 'He blew his nose into a tissue and threw it away.' — 'The British host placed a pretty serviette beside each plate.'

napkin ↗serviettetissue ↗

Common collocations

Phrases

  • fold a napkin
  • place a napkin on one's lap
  • wipe one's mouth with a napkin
  • tuck a napkin into one's collar

Etymology

Old FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

Napkin comes from Middle English napkyn, a combination of Old French nappe (tablecloth) and the suffix -kin (meaning 'little'). So the original meaning was 'little tablecloth' — a smaller cloth used on the dining table. Over time, the word also came to be used for sanitary pads and diapers in US English, based on the same idea of a square of absorbent material.