Bootblack Meaning in English
word
ˈbuːtˌblæk
BOOT-blak
ˈbuːtˌblæk
BOOT-blak
Definition
A person, often a child or young man, whose job is to polish and shine boots and shoes for money.
Usage & Nuances
'Bootblack' is now old-fashioned or historical in American and British English. It refers to street shoe shiners, often found in cities in the past. Today, you might hear 'shoeshine' or 'shoe shiner' instead. The word can sound literary or nostalgic.
Spanish: lustra botas - limpiabotasPortuguese (BR): engraxatePortuguese (PT): engraxadorChinese (Simplified): 擦鞋童 - 擦鞋工Chinese (Traditional): 擦鞋童 - 擦鞋工Hindi: जूते पॉलिश करने वालाArabic: ماسح أحذيةBengali: জুতো পালিশওয়ালা - বুট পালিশওয়ালাRussian: чистильщик обувиJapanese: 靴磨き職人 - 靴磨き少年Vietnamese: người đánh giàyKorean: 구두닦이Turkish: ayakkabı boyacısıUrdu: جوتا پالش کرنے والاIndonesian: tukang semir sepatu
Example Sentences
The bootblack polished my shoes quickly.
basic
A young bootblack worked on the corner every day.
basic
My grandfather was a bootblack when he was a boy.
basic
Back in the 1920s, you’d see a bootblack on nearly every city street.
natural
He started as a bootblack, but eventually opened his own shoe repair shop.
natural
"Have you ever met a real bootblack?" she asked, curious about old city life.
natural