Footware as opposed to footwear. The class of items that footwear refers to is a subset of footware referents. The plural of footware is footwares. It includes items related to the foot that are not necessarily shoes or other foot garments. Things like toe spreaders, foot basins, foot lotion, foot callus removers, etc.. are all footwares but not footwear.
Perhaps the structure of the word can be better explained by analogy. Housewear()-houseware(s), footwear()-footware(s).
Comments by wordsmyth
wordsmyth commented on the word footware
Footware as opposed to footwear. The class of items that footwear refers to is a subset of footware referents. The plural of footware is footwares. It includes items related to the foot that are not necessarily shoes or other foot garments. Things like toe spreaders, foot basins, foot lotion, foot callus removers, etc.. are all footwares but not footwear.
Perhaps the structure of the word can be better explained by analogy. Housewear()-houseware(s), footwear()-footware(s).
June 10, 2009