What does "sandal" mean?
A type of open shoe made up of straps or bands holding a sole to the foot
Sandal
/ˈsændəl/ name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A type of open shoe made up of straps or bands holding a sole to the foot
- Grammar: sandal is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: footwear, huarache, open footwear, shoe.
- Useful contrasts: boot, bootie, brogan.
- Usage evidence: The boy lost his sandal in the field.
How to use "sandal"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "sandal" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "sandal" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "sandal" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "sandal" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "sandal" is acting as name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "footwear" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "sandal", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A type of open shoe made up of straps or bands holding a sole to the foot
- 2 sandalwood uncountable
"And on the tables every clime and age / Jumbled together: celts and calumets, / Claymore and snow-shoe, toys in lava, fans / Of sandal, amber, ancient rosaries[…]"
- 3 A long narrow boat used on the Barbary coast.
- 4 a shoe consisting of a sole fastened by straps to the foot wordnet
Verb
- 1 To put on sandals.
Proper Noun
- 1 A suburb of Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England (OS grid ref SE3418).
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"The boy lost his sandal in the field."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "sandal"?
Common synonyms include: footwear, huarache, open footwear, shoe, strappy footwear, thong.
How do you use "sandal" in a sentence?
The boy lost his sandal in the field.
How do you pronounce "sandal"?
Pronounced /ˈsændəl/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English sandal (“sandal”), from Old French sandale, from Latin sandalium, from Ancient Greek σανδάλιον (sandálion), diminutive of σάνδαλον (sándalon, “sandal”), of unknown origin. Often mistakenly parsed as related to sand.
Etymology 2
From Middle English sandal (“sandalwood”), from Medieval Latin sandalum, from Byzantine Greek σάνδανον (sándanon), σάνταλον (sántalon), from Arabic صَنْدَل (ṣandal), from Middle Persian [script needed] (cndl /čandal/, “sandalwood”), from Sanskrit चन्दन (candana, “sandalwood”). Doublet of santalum.
Etymology 3
From Arabic صَنْدَل (ṣandal), the same word as the shoe sandal, just applied for boats of the shape of this shoe.
Etymology 4
From Old English sand halh.