Tekkies

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Casual rubber-soled canvas shoes worn for sport or everyday wear, especially in South Africa and Britain
2. Soft-soled footwear made of canvas, typically worn for exercise, informal occasions, or simply walking around
3. Informal athletic shoes with a canvas upper and rubber sole, a common name for sneakers in some regions

Etymology: "Tekkies" is the plural of "tekkie," South African slang for a canvas or rubber-soled sports shoe, what other English speakers call sneakers or trainers. The singular was formed from "tennis" with the diminutive suffix "-ie" (or "-y"), the same pattern behind "hankie" and "brainy," so it names the shoe after the sport it was originally worn for. The spelling "tackies" is also found in South African English, and the informal "tennies" is used in parts of the English-speaking world, but "tekkie" is the form most associated with South African usage. Its precise date of first recorded use is uncertain.

Synonyms: trainers, sneakers, running shoes