Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
chin diaper

chin diaper

9.3
A small cloth under the chin used to catch food and drink
  • noun
  • /tʃɪn ˈdaɪpər/
  • Informal
translation icon : babero
  • During lunch, he wore a chin diaper to protect his shirt from spills.

Examples

  • The toddler's bright blue chin diaper matched his onesie perfectly.

  • She handed her father a chin diaper before he attempted the spicy wing challenge.

  • The baby wore a colorful chin diaper during lunch.

  • Don't forget to pack some chin diapers for the picnic!

  • During lunch, he wore a chin diaper to protect his shirt from spills.

  • The toddler's bright blue chin diaper matched his onesie perfectly.

  • Don't forget to pack some chin diapers for the picnic!

Surface Forms

chin diaper singular
chin diapers plural

Morphology

chin + diaper

The phrase is a straightforward noun–noun combination: 'chin' (body part) + 'diaper' (an absorbent garment), so a B1 learner who knows both words can plausibly infer an absorbent cover used at the chin (i.e., a bib or cloth to catch spills). Although informal and not highly frequent, the meaning is compositional and follows common cross-linguistic patterns of naming garments by target body part, making it immediately understandable.

Etymology

Chin diaper comes from the image of a tiny diaper placed under the chin to catch food and drool. So, the phrase is a playful way to say a small 'bib' or cloth used to protect clothes and 'catch spills'.