Footcare

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The practice of looking after the feet through hygiene, treatment of problems and the choice of suitable footwear
2. Attention and treatment given to the feet to keep them healthy, clean and free from pain or injury
3. Maintaining the health and condition of the feet, including washing, nail trimming and treating common complaints

Etymology: "Footcare" is a plain compound, made by joining "foot" and "care" with no hyphen. "Foot" comes from Old English "fot," and "care" from Old English "caru," meaning anxiety, grief or concern, a sense that survives in words like "careful" and "careless." Put together, the word names the attention given to the feet, whether that means washing, cutting nails, treating corns, or keeping the skin healthy. The word needs no special story: its meaning follows directly from its two parts. Its use is simply the sum of what each part contributes, so a reader who knows "foot" and "care" already knows what "footcare" means.

Synonyms: pedicure, chiropody