Nape
/neɪp/noun
The back of the neck.
Did you know?Nape comes through Old French from Latin nape, which likely referred to the back of the neck or a fold-like part of the body, showing how body words often began as shape words.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*nebʰ-
“to bend, curve, or protrude”
Latin
Latin
nape
“the back of the neck”
Old French
Old French
nape
“the back of the neck”
Middle English
English
nape
“the back part of the neck”
Modern English
English
nape
“the back of the neck”
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