Latchet
/ˈlætʃɪt/noun
A narrow strap or thong used to fasten a shoe or sandal.
Did you know?In the King James Bible, John the Baptist says he is unworthy to “unloose” the latchet of Christ’s shoe, turning an ordinary fastening strap into a symbol of radical humility.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*lek-
“To ensnare or catch; a proposed ancestral root associated with binding or trapping.”
Classical Latin
Latin
laqueus
“A noose, snare, or trap.”
Old French
Old French
laz / lachet
“A lace, thong, or small fastening cord; lachet is a diminutive form.”
14th Century
Middle English
latchet
“A thong or lace used to fasten footwear.”
Modern English
English
latchet
“A shoe or sandal strap, now chiefly archaic or literary.”