calceus

C3A1L1C3E1U1S1
/kælˈseɪəs/

noun

A kind of low leather Roman boot or hightop shoe.

Scrabble 11

Meanings

nouncalceus (plural calceuses or calcei)

plural calceuses · plural calcei

  1. A kind of low leather Roman boot or hightop shoe.

    In its earliest form the calceus was a low-cut model of the Greek endromis, a snug-fitting ankle-high boot, the front finished in a tongue to facilitate drawing on the shoe.

    1948, Ruth Turner Wilcox, The Mode in Footwear..., page 32
    1 more example

    In comparison with the soccus and the solea, the calceus was a more formal footwear. We do not not usually find it in scenes of private life... We never find it with banquets, where the soccus and the solea prevail. It was probably only put on when leaving the house or, in the case of men, when receiving guests in a formal manner.

    2022, Jan Radicke, Roman Women's Dress..., p. 99

Origin

  1. Latincalceus
  2. Englishcalceus

From Latin calceus, substantive use of calx (“heel”) + -eus (“-y: forming adjectives”).

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Cite this entry
APA

calceus. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/calceus

MLA

“calceus.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/calceus. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “calceus,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/calceus.

Source: calceus on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.