A soft, comfortable shoe with a rubber sole, designed for sports or casual wear. In many places, it’s also called a trainer or athletic shoe.
“Sneaker” comes from the verb “sneak,” meaning to move quietly, plus the “‑er” ending for a person or thing that does something. It was originally slang for shoes that let you walk without making much noise. The term caught on in American English in the late 1800s.
The name “sneaker” literally means “the thing you sneak in.” Before rubber soles, shoes were loud—so quiet shoes felt sneaky. That playful idea survived, even though modern sneakers are more about style and support than secret missions.
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