English Dictionary

Definition of “pap”

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^¹pap¹ (pæp)

Definitions

noun

any soft or semiliquid food, such as bread softened with milk, esp for babies or invalids; mash
South Africa porridge made from maize
worthless or oversimplified ideas; drivel ⇒ intellectual pap

Word Origin

C15: from Middle Low German pappe, via Medieval Latin from Latin pappāre to eat; compare Dutch pap, Italian pappa

Synonyms

View thesaurus entry

= rubbish, trash, trivia, drivel,

= mush, pulp, mash, baby food,

^²pap² (pæp)

Definitions

noun

Scottish Northern England dialect a nipple or teat
1. something resembling a breast or nipple, such as (formerly) one of a pair of rounded hilltops
2. ((capital as part of a name) ⇒ the Pap of Glencoe

Word Origin

C12: of Scandinavian origin, imitative of a sucking sound; compare Latin papilla nipple, Sanskrit pippalaka

^³pap³ (pæp)

Definitions

verb

(tr)

(of the paparazzi) to follow and photograph (a famous person)

Word Origin

C20: from paparazzo

Usage examples

She writes barely literate pap for intellectual pygmies, for God's sake.
Alex George, LOVE YOU MADLY (2002)
Television pumped out a diet of pap seemingly aimed at the asinine Home Counties families that populated its own sitcoms.
Spiked (2003)
But as I read through all that pap , I couldn't help pondering my own, alternative throne speech.
Ottawa Sun (2003)
Perhaps it was the overwhelming weight of made-for-TV pap that appeared in the much vaunted" movie every night "slot.
Times, Sunday Times (2002)
It's a frustration that so much of what is served up to us as consumers is fake pap , perverting the way we see our lives.
David Boyle, AUTHENTICITY: Brands, Fakes, Spin and the Lust for Real Life (2003)

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