Word of the Day

: July 10, 2009

brogue

noun BROHG

What It Means

1 : a heavy shoe often with a hobnailed sole

2 : a stout oxford shoe with perforations and usually a wing tip

brogue in Context

Even though his brogues are scuffed and old, John prefers them to his new loafers.

Did You Know?

Did you expect "brogue" to be defined as "an Irish accent"? You're probably not alone. The reason our definition is different is because "brogue" has two homographs (words that are spelled -- and in this case pronounced -- the same but have different origins or parts of speech). "Brogue" the shoe comes from the Irish word "bróg," which probably derives from an Old Norse term meaning "leg covering." "Brogue" the accent comes from a different Irish word, "barróg," which means "accent" or "speech impediment."