Where does the word “Galosh” come from and What does Galosh mean?

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Karen Hill

Seldom encountered but “galosh” in the plural, galoshes.

Nowadays it is rarely other than a rubber or rubberized-fabric overshoe, but in former days, extending back to ancient Greek times, yes, it’s a very old term, though its antique form was then kalopous, it may have been of wood, like the French sabot, or a sandal with a wooden sole and leather upper, or even like the Mexican huarache, all of leather.

Whatever the material, with us it’s galosh; in France, galoche; in Spain and Portugal, galocha; and in Italy, galoscia.

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