A craftsperson who makes or repairs boots for people. Bootmakers were once important skilled workers in almost every town.
From 'boot' (Old French 'bote', possibly from Germanic origins) + 'maker' (from Old English 'macian'). The compound emerged in Middle English as boot-wearing became common and a specialized trade developed.
In the Victorian era, a bootmaker's shop was a sign of middle-class respectability—fancy custom boots were status symbols! The famous fictional character Puss in Boots was so proud of his custom boots that they became part of his identity.
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