loafer

¹ American  

[loh-fer] / ˈloʊ fər /

noun

1. a person who loafs; lazy person; idler.

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Loafer ² American  

[loh-fer] / ˈloʊ fər /

Trademark.

1. a brand name for a moccasinlike slip-on shoe.

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loafer British  

/ ˈləʊfə /

noun

1. a person who avoids work; idler

2. a moccasin-like shoe for casual wear

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Other Word Forms

• loaferish adjective

Etymology

Origin of loafer

1820–30, perhaps short for *landloafer vagabond; compare German (obsolete) Landläufer, Dutch landloper; see landloper

Explanation

If you're a loafer, you avoid working whenever possible, preferring to lounge around relaxing instead. And, if you're too lazy to tie your own shoes, you may prefer to wear loafers — slip-on shoes without laces. If you're a loafer at work, your co-workers will grow to resent you for doing nothing while they do their jobs. Loafers like to loaf, or "spend time in an idle, aimless way." People will call you a loafer if you spend most of your time in a reclining position, take frequent breaks for snacks and naps, or obviously avoid anything resembling hard work. This noun has been in use since the mid-1800s, but its origin isn't clear. The shoe called a loafer got its name because it's easily slipped on, without the work of laces and knots.

Example Sentences

“She’s a loafer for life now,” Kelce confirmed.

From Salon • Aug. 14, 2025

The song is the unhurried portrait of a loafer on his front porch, watching tourists sunbathe while a pot of shrimp is beginning to boil.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 2, 2023

There were new offerings of the Gucci loafer and the brand's famed handbags.

From Reuters • Feb. 24, 2023

So seriously, in fact, that I stopped a nice loafer from sneaking in without a ticket, only to be immediately corrected that they were an invited guest of the show.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 3, 2022

But when we went by The Coffee Pot Cafe, there were faces at the window, and a loafer or two paused on the sidewalk to see us pass.

From "A Long Way from Chicago" by Richard Peck