undersole
|un-der-sole|
🇺🇸
/ˈʌndərˌsoʊl/
🇬🇧
/ˈʌndəˌsəʊl/
bottom layer of a shoe
Etymology
'undersole' originates from Old English/Modern English elements: 'under' (Old English 'under') + 'sole' (from Old French 'sole', from Latin 'solum'). 'under' meant 'beneath' and 'solum' meant 'ground' or 'bottom'.
'undersole' formed in Middle/Modern English by combining 'under' + 'sole'; 'sole' itself came into English via Old French from Latin 'solum' (meaning 'ground, bottom'). Over time the compound came to refer specifically to the bottom of a shoe.
Initially, 'sole' (from Latin 'solum') meant 'ground' or 'bottom'; combined as 'undersole', it came to mean specifically the bottom layer of footwear and later also a protective/replacement layer beneath the main sole.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the bottom part of a shoe that contacts the ground; the sole.
The cobbler examined the undersole for signs of wear.
Synonyms
Noun 2
an additional protective or reinforcing layer attached beneath the main sole (a replacement or protective layer such as a half-sole).
He had a new undersole fitted to extend the life of his boots.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/11/17 20:46