noun A1 Beginner Uncommon

apron

AY-pruhn

Apron (noun) means a piece of clothing worn over the front of the body to protect clothes, especially while cooking. Example: “He tied on an apron before starting to bake.”

noun

A piece of clothing worn over the front of the body to protect clothes, especially while cooking.

"He tied on an apron before starting to bake."

"The waiter wore a black apron over his uniform."

A paved area near a building or runway, such as where planes park at an airport.

"The plane taxied across the apron toward the gate."

How to Use Apron

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA protective garment worn over clothes, or a paved area next to a building, especially at an airport.

Common pairings

tie an apron kitchen apron airport apron

Word Forms

aproned past tense, aprons plural, aprons singular

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He tied on an _____ before starting to bake.

Etymology

Originally "a napron," from Old French naperon, related to nappe, "tablecloth" — over time, "a napron" was misheard as "an apron," the same process that gave us the words adder and umpire.

Origin: Old French

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “apron” mean?

The word “apron” means a piece of clothing worn over the front of the body to protect clothes, especially while cooking. In plain terms, a protective garment worn over clothes, or a paved area next to a building, especially at an airport.

How do you pronounce “apron”?

“Apron” is pronounced AY-pruhn (/ˈeɪ.pɹən/ in IPA).

How do you use “apron” in a sentence?

Here is “apron” used in a sentence: “He tied on an apron before starting to bake.”

What part of speech is “apron”?

“Apron” is a noun.

Where does the word “apron” come from?

The word “apron” comes from Old French. Originally "a napron," from Old French naperon, related to nappe, "tablecloth" — over time, "a napron" was misheard as "an apron," the same process that gave us the words adder and umpire.

Is “apron” a common word?

“Apron” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

How many meanings does “apron” have?

“Apron” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a piece of clothing worn over the front of the body to protect clothes, especially while cooking.

Featured In

Vocabulary lists that include apron:

Words With French Origins