slipper

slipper — noun

1. A soft, light shoe for relaxing at home, designed to be easily put on and taken

1.nounA1
Definition

A soft, light shoe for relaxing at home, designed to be easily put on and taken off without laces.

Example

Noa slipped her feet into her warm slippers after coming in from the snow.

verb collocation: slip [one's] feet into slippers

When Mateo visits, he always brings his own slippers to wear inside.

possessive pattern: bring + [one's] own + slippers

Common collocations
  • wear slippers
  • put on slippers
  • slip into slippers
  • take off slippers
  • a pair of slippers
  • fluffy slippers
  • warm slippers
  • soft slippers
  • old slippers
  • slipper socks
Synonyms
  • house shoe

    a more formal or commercial name for a slipper, often used in product labels

  • mule

    a backless shoe or slipper that may have a small heel; can be worn indoors or outdoors

  • bootee

    a soft, warm slipper that covers the ankle, worn mainly in cold weather

Antonyms
  • boot

    heavy footwear for outdoor use in cold or wet conditions

  • sandal

    an open outdoor shoe with straps, worn in warm weather

Grammar Patterns

a pair of slippers

Common Mistakes

She put on her slipper before going to the kitchen.
She put on her slippers before going to the kitchen.
When referring to a matching pair, always use the plural form 'slippers', even when talking about putting one on each foot.

slipper — adjective

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Slippers are soft, warm, backless shoes worn indoors for comfort and easy movement. 'House shoe' is a more formal or commercial name for the same item, often found in product packaging. Mules are backless shoes that may have a small heel and can be worn both indoors and outdoors, unlike slippers which are mainly for indoor use. Sandals are open outdoor shoes with straps, worn in warm weather — very different in purpose from slippers. Bootees are soft slippers that cover the ankle, designed for warmth in cold weather. For example, you wear slippers to walk around the living room in the evening, sandals to the beach, and bootees when your feet feel cold on a winter morning.

slipper ↗house shoemule ↗sandalbootee

Common collocations

Nouns

  • slipper socks

Phrases

  • a pair of slippers
  • a set of slippers

Prepositions

  • in slippers
  • into slippers

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The noun 'slipper' comes from the verb 'slip' (to slide or move smoothly) plus the suffix '-er', referring to a shoe that is easy to slip on and off. The word has been used in English since the 1400s. The adjective sense, a short form of 'slippery', developed later as a dialectal or informal variant.