Creps

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Footwear, typically casual or sporty in style, often associated with comfort and street fashion
2. Shoes, especially those made from rubber or canvas, popular among younger demographics
3. Sneakers characterized by a fashionable design, commonly used for both athletic and casual settings

Etymology: Sneakers fashionable enough to wear off the basketball court owe their name to a word for a rustle or crackle. "Creps" is a clipping of "crepitations," the plural of "crepitation," a term that comes from the Latin "crepitare," meaning to rattle or crackle. The shortened form points to the soft, crackling sound that rubber soles and canvas make on pavement, the noise that gave the footwear its nickname. The clipping is the key to the word's shape. Speakers trimmed the longer, more formal "crepitations" down to its most recognisable syllables, and the result became the slangy term for these shoes. Its meaning is therefore the sneaker itself, not the noise, even though the noise is where the name began.

Synonyms: sneakers, trainers, tennis shoes, athletic shoes