apron

Where does the word "apron" come from? It comes from Latin mappa, passing through Old French before entering English (1400s).

Apron’s story begins in Latin: mappa meant “napkin, cloth.” A napkin or cloth; the magistrate presiding at the Circus started the chariot races by dropping a white mappa (the same word later gave 'map'). By 1200s, the word had taken hold in Old French as naperon. A small cloth, diminutive of nape 'tablecloth', from mappa; related to English 'napkin'. It reached English by 1400s as apron. Middle English napron, a cloth worn in front; 'a napron' was heard as 'an apron', and by the 1500s the n had gone. Today, apron means a protective garment worn over the front of one's clothes.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · classical mappa "napkin, cloth", a napkin or cloth; the magistrate presiding at the Circus started the chariot races by dropping a white mappa (the same word later gave 'map').
2. Stage 2 · Old French · 1200s naperon "small cloth", a small cloth, diminutive of nape 'tablecloth', from mappa; related to English 'napkin'.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1400s apron "protective garment", Middle English napron, a cloth worn in front; 'a napron' was heard as 'an apron', and by the 1500s the n had gone.