takkie

English

Etymology

From Afrikaans tekkie (“athletic shoe”).

Pronunciation

• (General South African) enPR: /tăkē/

Noun

takkie (plural takkies)

1. (South Africa, chiefly in the plural) An athletic shoe, a trainer, a sneaker.
   • 1948, Tom Macdonald, Jan Hofmeyr: heir to Smuts‎^[1], Hurst & Blackett, page 119:

     One day in comes Jannie Hofmeyr to my shop, and he's wanting a pair of takkies to play tennis you know, and William, my son, he goes and serves him.

   • 1986, Peter Abbott, Philip Botham, Modern African Wars (1): Rhodesia 1965–80, Osprey Publishing, →ISBN, page 43:

     Net face veils often replaced the orthodox headgear, and ‘takkies’ (canvas boots) or ‘fellies’ (veldshoen^[sic]) the regulation combat boots.

   • 2001, Gail Evans, Time Trials, iUniverse, →ISBN, page 11:

     […] she kept getting her foot stuck in it until her right takkie was squishing on the kitchen floor.

   • 2006, Byron Loker, New Swell, iBhuku.com, →ISBN, page 35:

     […] stood on it with one takkie that had no shoelace.