Английский Этимологический словарь - taper (n.)

- O.E. tapur, taper "candle," possibly a dissimilated borrowing from L. papyrus (see papyrus), which was used in M.L. and some Romance languages for "wick of a candle," which was often made from the pith of papyrus. Sense of "gradually decrease in size, force, etc." first recorded 1610, from the shape of a candle.