Alpergata

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of lightweight footwear traditionally made from canvas or cotton fabric, often featuring a flexible sole made of jute or esparto grass
2. A simple and casual shoe that originated as a peasant's footwear, typically characterized by a flat sole and a slip-on design
3. Footwear commonly associated with warm weather, usually designed for comfort and ease of wear, and often used in informal settings

Etymology: Its name is probably rooted in Arabic. Spanish speakers borrowed the word, and the shoe itself was made by hand from plaited fibre, with a sole of woven rope and an upper of cloth. Its origins are uncertain, but the word is thought to derive from an Arabic term for a woven sandal. The sole material explains the most striking link. In French, the same shoe is called "espadrille," from Occitan "espardillo," a diminutive of "espart," meaning esparto grass. That grass, in turn, traces back through Latin "spartum" to Greek "sparton," meaning rope or cord. So the shoe is named after the plant fibre that made its sole, not after the shape of the foot or any quality of the footwear itself. Across Spain and southern France, these shoes were worn by farm workers and labourers because they were cheap, light and easy to put on. Their simple construction is why they remain a common summer shoe today.

Synonyms: espadrille, canvas shoe