Pap

/pæp/

Meaning & Definition

noun

A soft, mushy food, especially for infants or invalids.

The nurse fed the baby some pap made from formula and mashed bananas.

Something insignificant or lacking in substance, often referring to media content.

The article was nothing but pap, filled with clichés and empty statements.

verb

To feed or nourish someone with pap.

She gently papped the child with soft food to ensure he could eat easily.

Middle English, from the Dutch 'pap', meaning porridge.

full of pap

lacking in substance; trivial or unimportant.

pap smear

a medical test of the cells of the cervix.

pap play

a theatrical performance that is overly sentimental or trite.

pappy

a sweet or soft style, often referring to something overly sentimental or dull.

pappus

a tuft of silky hairs on the seeds of certain plants.

Nonsense or trivial matters.

That conversation was just a bunch of pap.

Overly sentimental or weak material, especially in media.

The film was just sugary pap without any real depth.