footwear

footwear — noun

1. Items such as shoes, boots, and sandals that cover and protect a person's feet d

1.nounA2
Definition

Items such as shoes, boots, and sandals that cover and protect a person's feet during daily activities.

Example

Roya bought new waterproof footwear for her hiking trip in the mountains.

collocation: waterproof footwear

The store sells a wide range of footwear, from light sandals to heavy winter boots.

collocation: range of footwear

Common collocations
  • waterproof footwear
  • protective footwear
  • comfortable footwear
  • formal footwear
  • outdoor footwear
  • sports footwear
  • wear footwear
  • remove footwear
  • footwear industry
  • footwear store
Synonyms
  • shoes

    more specific — footwear is the general category; shoes are the most common type, usually covering only the foot

  • footgear

    less common, more formal or technical synonym for the same category

Grammar Patterns

footwear (uncountable noun)

Usage Note

Footwear is an uncountable noun and does not have a plural form. To refer to individual items, use 'a pair of shoes' or 'an item of footwear'.

Common Mistakes

I bought three footwears for the trip.
I bought three pairs of shoes for the trip.
footwear is uncountable and cannot take a plural -s ending.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Footwear is the broadest category, covering anything worn on the feet for protection or comfort — shoes, boots, sandals, trainers. Shoes is the most common everyday word and refers specifically to items that cover the foot (not the ankle or leg). Footgear is a rare, technical synonym used mainly in catalogues or occupational safety contexts. In normal conversation, a native speaker is far more likely to say 'I need new shoes' than 'I need new footwear.' Use footwear when you mean the category as a whole ('the footwear section of the store') or in formal/retail writing.

footwear ↗shoesfootgear

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • range of footwear
  • item of footwear
  • pair of footwear

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Formed by combining the Old English words fōt (foot) and werian (to wear or clothe). The compound has been used in English since the 1800s to describe any clothing worn on the feet.