student asking question

Does the word "heels" specifically refer to "high heel" only? I believe all the shoes have heels of their own!

teacher

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

Yes, "heels" is most commonly used as a shortened form of the word "high heels," referring to all shoes with an elongating effect. Although all shoes do have a "heel," most people understand "heels" to mean "high heels." Of course, if context clues are given, listeners can understand "heels" to mean the back part of a shoe. Ex: The heels of my loafers have been worn down from constant use. Ex: I hate wearing heels as they hurt my feet.

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