loafers
|loaf-ers|
🇺🇸
/ˈloʊfərz/
🇬🇧
/ˈləʊfəz/
(loafer)
idle or slip-on shoe
Etymology
'loafer' originates from English, specifically from the verb 'loaf' plus the agent suffix '-er', where 'loaf' meant 'to be idle'.
'loafer' developed in the 19th century meaning 'an idle person'. In the early 20th century (around the 1930s) the term was also applied to a style of casual slip-on shoe; both senses have persisted.
Initially it meant 'an idle person', but over time it also came to mean 'a slip-on shoe' while the original sense (idle person) remained in use.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural of 'loafer': a low, laceless slip-on shoe, often made of leather and worn as casual or semi-formal footwear.
He packed two pairs of loafers for the trip because he wanted comfortable shoes.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2026/01/02 03:02