The term galosh has evolved over time. Initially used in 1374 to describe a wood-soled leather clog, it now refers to a rubber overshoe. The original spelling was kaloge, but variations such as galoche, galache, galege, galage, galoss, galoach, goloschoo, goloshoe, and colloshoe emerged before galosh became the standard. Its roots can be traced back to Old French galoche, with debates over its exact origin. While some believe it comes from the Latin phrase gallicula solea, meaning “Gallic shoe,” others suggest connections to Old French gallette, meaning “flat round cake,” or Ancient Greek kalopodion, a shoemaker’s foot mold. The latter theory links back to the Greek words for “wood” (kalon) and “foot” (pous).
