Alpargatas

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A style of lightweight footwear designed with a fabric top and a sole made from flexible material, these shoes are popular for their comfort and breathability in warm weather
2. This kind of casual shoe, featuring a summery fabric upper and a uniquely constructed sole, is commonly used for outdoor activities due to its casual charm
3. Shoes made with a textile upper and soft sole designed for comfort and ventilation in hot climates

Etymology: The rope-soled canvas shoe that many people know as a summer espadrille has a name that travelled through three languages before reaching English. The Spanish "alpargata" was borrowed from Andalusian Arabic, where "barḡa" referred to a kind of soft shoe, and the Arabic word itself appears to have come into Spanish-speaking territory before being picked up by the Basque language, which is where the Spanish form seems to have taken its shape. Some dictionaries link the Basque element to "abarka", a word for a simple footwear made of cloth or leather wrapped around the foot. English borrowed the word directly from Spanish. Because the shoe was closely associated with the Basque Country and the Pyrenean region, the name stayed fixed to a specific regional object rather than broadening into a general word for cheap footwear.