sandal
/ˈsændəl/
noun
Origin
Ancient Greek
σάνδαλον — sandal, wooden slipper
Overview
Meaning Now
- A light shoe with either an openwork upper or a sole held to the foot by straps.
- A loose slipper or overshoe.
Literal older meaning
a wooden slipper
Language path
Ancient Greek → Latin → Old French → English
Earliest form
sandale
Earliest period
14th century
Journey
The word originates from the Greek 'sándalon', likely of Anatolian origin, reflecting the early use of wooden soles or thongs in footwear across the Mediterranean world.
Evolution
- Ancient Greek
σάνδαλον (sándalon)
“a wooden shoe or sandal”
- Latin
sandalium
“a slipper or sandal”
borrowed from Greek
- Old French
sandale
“a type of light shoe”
- Middle English
sandal
“a light shoe”
imported into English via Old French
Connections
Word parts
sandal
root
a strap-based footwear
Related across languages
French
sandale
sandal
German
Sandale
sandal
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Related to sandal
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.