Standard Lemma guide

instep

noun · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • US: /ˈɪnˌstɛp/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The arched part of the top of the foot between the toes and the ankle.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: anatomy, medicine, sciences

Examples

  • high instep
  • arched instep
  • injured instep
  • The boot pressed uncomfortably against his instep.
  • She kicked the ball with the inside of her instep.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A section of any footwear covering that part of the foot.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

In horses, the hind leg from the ham to the pastern joint.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

the part of a shoe or stocking that covers the arch of the foot

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: covering

5

noun

Meaning 5

the arch of the foot

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: arch

Narrower terms: sunken arch, fallen arch

History

Etymology

From in- + step.

Across languages

Translations

41 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Albanian: qafëz — top of the foot between the toes and the ankle
  • Breton: choug an troad — top of the foot between the toes and the ankle
  • Catalan: empenya — top of the foot between the toes and the ankle
  • Czech: nárt — top of the foot between the toes and the ankle
  • Dutch: wreef — top of the foot between the toes and the ankle
  • Esperanto: instepo — top of the foot between the toes and the ankle
  • Estonian: pöid — top of the foot between the toes and the ankle
  • Finnish: jalkapöytä — top of the foot between the toes and the ankle
  • French: cou-de-pied — top of the foot between the toes and the ankle
  • West-Frisian: krop — top of the foot between the toes and the ankle
  • Galician: empeña — top of the foot between the toes and the ankle
  • German: [1] Spann — top of the foot between the toes and the ankle
  • German: Fußrücken — top of the foot between the toes and the ankle
  • German: Rist — top of the foot between the toes and the ankle
  • German: Fußspann — top of the foot between the toes and the ankle
  • Greek: κουντεπιέ (kountepié) — top of the foot between the toes and the ankle
  • Hungarian: rüszt — top of the foot between the toes and the ankle
  • Icelandic: rist — top of the foot between the toes and the ankle
  • Irish: trácht — top of the foot between the toes and the ankle
  • Italian: collo del piede — top of the foot between the toes and the ankle
  • Japanese: 足の甲 (ashi no kō) — top of the foot between the toes and the ankle
  • Kikuyu: rũnyarĩrĩ — top of the foot between the toes and the ankle
  • Korean: 발등 (baldeung) — top of the foot between the toes and the ankle
  • Latin: metatarsus — top of the foot between the toes and the ankle
  • Limburgish: wreef — top of the foot between the toes and the ankle
  • Low German: Wree — top of the foot between the toes and the ankle
  • Luxembourgish: Foussréck — top of the foot between the toes and the ankle
  • Māori: kapu — top of the foot between the toes and the ankle
  • Norwegian Bokmål: vrist — top of the foot between the toes and the ankle
  • Polish: podbicie — top of the foot between the toes and the ankle
  • Portuguese: peito do pé — top of the foot between the toes and the ankle
  • Quechua: kancha — top of the foot between the toes and the ankle
  • Romansh: dies dal pe — top of the foot between the toes and the ankle
  • Russian: подъём (podʺjóm) — top of the foot between the toes and the ankle
  • Slovak: priehlavok — top of the foot between the toes and the ankle
  • Spanish: empeine — top of the foot between the toes and the ankle
  • Ukrainian: підйо́м (pidjóm) — top of the foot between the toes and the ankle
  • Vietnamese: mu bàn chân — top of the foot between the toes and the ankle
  • Volapük: gared — top of the foot between the toes and the ankle
  • Welsh: cefn troed — top of the foot between the toes and the ankle
  • Woiwurrung: ngarrgi djinang — top of the foot between the toes and the ankle