Shoehorn
/ˈʃuː.hɔːrn/noun
A curved tool used to help slide the heel into a shoe.
Did you know?Despite its eerie usefulness, *shoehorn* is a straightforward compound of *shoe* + *horn*—the original versions were often made from real horn, a material prized for its smooth, slippery surface.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
scōh
“shoe”
Old English
OE
horn
“horn; a hard pointed projection, and by extension a horn-shaped object”
15th Century
English
shoo horn
“a horn used to help put on a shoe”
16th–17th Century
English
shoehorn
“a tool for easing the foot into footwear”
Modern English
English
shoehorn
“a curved dressing aid; also, to force something into an unsuitable place”