scōh
masculine
The Old English word for shoe is scōh.
The term refers to a protective covering for the foot.
Meaning: protective covering for the foot (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the West Saxon dialect, scōh was the most common term used for shoes.
How does it change in a sentence?
The singular masculine noun scōh has several forms: the plural is scōhu and the genitive singular, used to show possession, is scōhes.
Did you know?
- The letter 'c' in the Old English scōh was pronounced as a 'sh' sound, which is why the word evolved into our modern 'shoe'.
- While scōh is the ancestor of the modern word 'shoe', it is a cognate of the German word Schuh, showing how closely the two languages shared basic vocabulary for daily life.
- In Old English, the word scōh was often used interchangeably with terms for footwear that looked more like boots or wraps, as the strict modern distinction between 'shoes' and 'boots' did not exist.
Examples in context
- Se scōh is nīwe.The shoe is new.
- Ic geseo þone scōh.I see the shoe.
- Hē bær scōh.He wore a shoe.
Example conversation
Godric and Eadgyth are checking their belongings before a walk.
- GodricHwær is mīn scōh?Where is my shoe?
- EadgythSe scōh is under þām bedde.The shoe is under the bed.
- GodricIc geseo hine nū.I see it now.
- EadgythNū wē mōton gān.Now we must go.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shoe” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
