Monday, September 24, 2012

September is Etymology Month (23)

nipple 1530s, nyppell, "teat, duct-laden extremity of a mammalian breast," alteration of neble (1520s), probably dim. of neb "bill, beak, snout", hence, lit. "a small projection." In reference to an artificial device on an infant's bottle, from 1875.

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