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ge·ta

(gĕtə, gĕtä)

n. pl. getaor ge·tas

A wooden-soled, elevated sandal traditionally worn in Japan.

[Japanese, originally meaning “geta with soles low off the ground” (as opposed to earlier ashida, geta with soles high off the ground), ultimately (possibly via dissimilation from *geda) from ge-, under, low (from Early Middle Chinese γaɨ’, from Old Chinese *grâʔ; akin to Burmese kya’, to fall) + -da in ashida, wooden shoes with high soles (ashi, foot + -da, to carry on the back, pack horse, from Middle Chinese da^h, load carried by an animal, pack, from Old Chinese *dâds).]

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geta

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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