Napery
/ˈneɪpəri/noun
Table linen, especially cloths and napkins used for dining.
Did you know?Napery comes from the same Latin root as napkin, ultimately tied to cloths used for wiping or covering—proof that even the most ordinary household words often began as names for sacred, practical textiles.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*snā-
“To sew, stitch, or bind together.”
Latin
Latin
mappa
“A napkin, cloth, or towel.”
Late Latin
Latin
mappāria
“Table linen or cloths.”
Old French
Old French
naperie
“Table linen; linen goods.”
Middle English
English
napery
“Table linen, especially cloths used at meals.”
Modern English
English
napery
“Table linen or household linen, especially for dining.”
Explore more surprising origins