Sneaker Glossary

Glossary

• ACG — All Conditions Gear. (Nike)
• CO.JP — Concept Japan. Sneakers made exclusively for the Japanese market. (Nike)
• Colorway — A general term describing the combination of colors and patterns found on a sneaker. Brands often have dedicated colorway names. For example, 'Bred' is an original Air Jordan colorway that debuted with the Air Jordan 1.
• DS — Deadstock. New and unworn sneakers.
• EP — Engineered performance. Sneakers built with high-durability rubber for outdoor basketball. (Nike)
• EQT — Equipment. (adidas)
• F&F — Friends and family. A limited-edition sneaker that is only gifted to friends and family of the brand or collaborator. 
• Family sizing — A sneaker that is available in todder, preschool, grade-school, men's and women's sizes. 
• FSR — Full size run. Denotes a specific sneaker being produced in a full range of sizes.
• GR — General release.
• GS — Grade school. Sizing is from 1Y - 7Y. 
• High-top — Sneakers that extend above the ankle. 
• HTM — Refers to fragment design founder Hiroshi Fujiwara, Nike designer Tinker Hatfield and former Nike CEO Mark Parker. The three letters represent each person's first initial. (Nike)
• Insole — Material located directly beneath the foot and above the midsole to provide comfort and cushioning on the interior of the shoe.
• J — Junior or kids shoes. (adidas)
• Jumpman  — The Air Jordan logo. A silhouette of Michael Jordan mid-air with a basketball in his hand. 
• Lateral — The outer side of a sneaker.
• Low-top — Sneakers that sit below the ankle. 
• Medial — The inner side of a sneaker.
• Mid-top — Sneakers that reach the ankle but generally do not extend higher. 
• Midsole — The material in between the insole and the outsole. This is where proprietary technology is located to provide cushioning, comfort, support and stability. 
• NRG — Energy. The term often highlights special Nike projects such as the KD 17 NRG 'Aunt Pearl.' (Nike)
• OG — Original colorway or original branding and cut of a sneaker.
• Outsole — The bottom of a sneaker. Most performance shoes feature rubber outsoles and contain grooves for improved traction. 
• PE — Player exclusive or player edition.
• PRM — Premium materials. (Nike)
• PS — Preschool. Sizing ranges from 8C - 3Y. 
• QS — Quickstrike release often produced in limited quantities.
• Reselling — Buying and selling sneakers with the intention of making a profit.
• Restock — A new supply of inventory for a previously sold-out sneaker. 
• Retro  — A sneaker that is based on an existing model and has been re-released.
• Sample — Prototype sneaker not released to the public.
• SB — Skateboarding. (Nike)
• Shock drop — A surprise release of a sneaker.
• SKU — Stock keeping unit. Unique code associated with a sneaker.
• SP — Special Project.
• Swoosh — The logo for the sportswear company Nike. The checkmark design was created by Carolyn Davidson in 1971. 
• TD — "Toddler" when referring to general lifestyle shoes or "turf design" when referring to cleats. Toddler sizing ranges from 1C - 10C. 
• Three Stripes — Another term for the German sportswear company adidas, referring to its iconic logo. 
• Toe box — The section of a sneaker that covers the toes. 
• Wmns — Women's sneakers. (Nike)