Espadrille
/ˌɛspəˈdrɪl/noun
A light shoe with a canvas or cotton upper and a flexible sole made of rope or jute.
Did you know?Espadrille ultimately comes from a word for a kind of Mediterranean grass or rush used to make rope soles, so the name is tied to the material beneath your feet, not the style on top.
Etymological Timeline
Late Medieval Romance
Occitan/Catalan
espardenya / espardilha
“A rustic shoe with a rope or grass sole, especially in the Pyrenees and Mediterranean regions.”
Medieval Spanish
Spanish
esparteña
“A shoe made with esparto grass or similar plant fiber.”
Latin
Latin
spartum
“Esparto grass; a stiff Mediterranean grass used for cordage and weaving.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
σπάρτον (spárton)
“A rope, cord, or band, especially one made from plant fiber.”
Modern English
English
espadrille
“A casual shoe with a fabric upper and rope or jute sole.”
Explore more surprising origins