E width letter is usually used to represent extra-wide width when it comes to shoe size for men, which is measured between 3.2 and 5.2 inches across the foot’s ball.
When buying a new pair of shoes for the first time, it is really crucial to check the shoe-sizing chart. You know, different shoe brands and styles may come in different shoe sizes, including length and width. But even so, it is all about the letters and numbers, which denote the shoe width and length.
You might come across different letters, such as A, B, D, E, 2E, 4E, 2A, 4A, etc. All of them are shoe width letters. But in this short article, I will dig into the letter E. So, what does E mean in shoe size? Let’s find out the anwer!
So What Exactly Does E Mean In Shoe Size?
In shoe size, the letter E is typically used to measure the width of mens’ shoes and boots. Nevertheless, E is only among many other letters used for shoe width measurement. In fact, you will see other popular letters, such as B, D, M, and uncommon letters that can sometimes be used, like C or W.
The width letters can be varied in various sizes, depending on where you are purchasing your shoes. For instance, the E-width shoes in the UK are probably different from the E side in the US.
In some cases, you might happen to see E width in women’s shoes. But, once again, E-width women’s shoes can mean something completely different from E size in men’s shoes.
What is E Width in Shoes for Women and Men?
Usually, a pair of shoes with an E width is wide for males. Nevertheless, it means extra wide for females. The average E width typically ranges from 3.2 to 5.2 inches, which is measured across your foot’s ball area.
If you need to find the perfect shoe fit, you might be wondering what does EW mean in shoe size? This article explains in detail what does EW mean and how to measure your foot accurately for the right size. It also provides tips for finding the perfect pair of shoes that feel comfortable and fit perfectly.
How Wide is the EE Shoe Width?
For men, the EE width size is extra wide. Therefore, it might be relatively hard to find shoes coming in the EE width sizes for ladies as it is just too large.
Generally speaking, shoes with EE widths are from 3.4 to 5.4 inches wide. So, as you can see, the measurements are slightly wider than the E-width shoes. So, this wide selection can easily accommodate people with various shoe sizes. Fortunately, a lot of shoe manufacturers are now starting to include shoes with EE width sizes for women.
Read also: Wide Shoe Size Explained
What Does EEE Mean in Shoe Size?
Another letter to indicate the width in shoe sizes you might come across is EEE or 3E. Since this width is extremely wide for women, it is only available for men’s shoe sizes. Even though it is quite uncommon, you can still find it elsewhere with a width of 5.5 inches and wider.
Boots or shoes with EEE/3E widths will be ideal for people who have swollen feet or those who usually go hiking on chilly winter days and need a pair of thick socks.
What About Other Shoe Width Letters? What Do They Mean?
Basically, almost all US shoe brands provide a wide range of shoe widths, including 3A, 2A, A, B, C, D, E, 2E, and 3E.
Although this scale is quite easy to remember because of its alphabetical nature, it seems to be difficult to be self-explanatory. You can see that 3A means AAA, 2A means AA, and this applies to 2E and 3E.
In fact, some shoe manufacturers even provide additional width letters for extra-wide footwear, such as 4E or even 5E. But these are not really common, typically for women’s shoes, as they are extremely large.
Another thing you need to note is that most shoe widths are dependent on the shoe length. For instance, a pair of D-width shoes with size 14 can be 4.5 inches wide in men’s shoe sizing, while the same D-width shoes in men’s shoe size 10 might be only 4 inches wide at the same point of the foot’s ball.
So, if you are picking between various lengths of a specific shoe, you should also check if you really need to specify different widths for two different-sized shoes or not.
Below is a concise explanation of the other shoe width letters in shoe size.
If you’re wondering about other shoe width letters, you may want to learn more about shoe size letter charts. This helpful guide can explain what each letter means, including W, M, EW, and B(M). Whether you’re trying to find the right size for wide feet or simply curious about shoe size measurement, this guide can provide valuable insights. Try using M mean in shoe size to explore more about it.
A Width
Actually, the A width is more common in women’s shoe sizes. It is usually considered to be narrow, whereas this width letter is rarely seen among shoe sizes for men. This is because this width tends to be tight for almost all males.
A pair of shoes with A width typically has a width between 3.4 and 3.9 inches across the area of the foot’s ball.
Besides A width, you can also see 2A or AA in the ladies’ shoe sizing chart. This width is narrower than the A width. And sometimes you will come across the AAA or 3A, but not really often as it is too tight. The more A letters the width has, the narrower the shoe is.
Of course, the difference between A and AA-width shoes hugely depends on the standards of shoe manufacturers.
B Width
While shoes with a B width is considered the medium, standard, or normal width for female’s shoes, it is seen as exceptionally tight for male’s shoes. B-width shoes usually have an average width from 3.6 to 4.1 inches across the foot’s ball.
If you happen to see any women’s shoes that are not tagged clearly as being narrow or wide, they are most likely B width.
Looking for shoes that fit the B width? Understanding the shoe size letters is key to finding a properly fitting shoe. Check out this informative article on what B(M) means for shoes and ensure you are selecting the right width for your feet.
D Width
In contrast to the B-width as the medium width for women’s shoes, D-width is commonly seen as the normal or standard width for men’s shoes. And it can mean wide in the women’s shoe sizing chart.
The D width letter in shoe sizes can be translated from 3 to 5 inches at the area of the foot’s ball. However, this depends on shoe manufacturers as sometimes you can also see men’s shoes with D-width having 4-4.5 inches width.
Just like the medium B-width for women’s shoes, if you find any men’s shoes but not marked as being narrow or wide, the chances are high that these shoes have a D width.
Women’s Shoe Width Chart
The table below shows the different widths for women’s shoes, ranging from narrow (AA) to extra wide (E).
| US Size | Narrow (AA) (inches) | Average (BB) (inches) | Wide (C/D) (inches) | Extra Wide (E) (inches) |
| 5 | 2.81 | 3.18 | 3.56 | 3.93 |
| 5.5 | 2.87 | 3.25 | 3.62 | 4 |
| 6 | 2.94 | 3.31 | 3.68 | 4.06 |
| 6.5 | 3 | 3.37 | 3.75 | 4.12 |
| 7 | 3.06 | 3.43 | 3.81 | 4.18 |
| 7.5 | 3.12 | 3.5 | 3.87 | 4.25 |
| 8 | 3.18 | 3.56 | 3.93 | 4.31 |
| 8.5 | 3.25 | 3.62 | 4 | 4.37 |
| 9 | 3.37 | 3.68 | 4.06 | 4.43 |
| 9.5 | 3.37 | 3.75 | 4.12 | 4.5 |
| 10 | 3.43 | 3.75 | 4.18 | 4.56 |
| 10.5 | 3.5 | 3.87 | 4.25 | 4.62 |
| 11 | 3.56 | 3.93 | 4.31 | 4.68 |
| 12 | 3.68 | 4.06 | 4.43 | 4.81 |
Men’s Shoe Width Chart
Now, let’s have a look at the width chart for men’s shoes. The width contains only the most popular widths for males, ranging from narrow to wide.
| US Size | Narrow (C) | Average (D) | Wide (E) |
| 6 | 3.31 | 3.5 | 3.68 |
| 6.5 | 3.31 | 3.62 | 3.75 |
| 7 | 3.37 | 3.62 | 3.75 |
| 7.5 | 3.37 | 3.68 | 3.93 |
| 8 | 3.5 | 3.75 | 3.93 |
| 8.5 | 3.62 | 3.75 | 4 |
| 9 | 3.62 | 3.93 | 4.12 |
| 9.5 | 3.68 | 3.93 | 4.12 |
| 10 | 3.75 | 4 | 4.18 |
| 10.5 | 3.75 | 4.12 | 4.31 |
| 11 | 3.93 | 4.12 | 4.31 |
| 11.5 | 3.93 | 4.37 | 4.37 |
| 12 | 4 | 4.37 | 4.37 |
| 12.5 | 4.12 | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| 13 | 4.12 | 4.62 | 4.62 |
| 13.5 | 4.18 | 4.37 | 4.75 |
Children’s Shoe Width Chart
The shoe width chart for kids can be the most diverse one among the three shoe width charts as it varies depending on the children’s shoe sizes.
| US Size | Average (B) (inches) | Wide (D) (inches) | Extra-Wide (E) (inches) |
| 1 | 2.12 | 5.25 | 1.69 |
| 1.5 | 2.12 | 5.25 | 1.69 |
| 2 | 2 | 2.87 | 1.81 |
| 2.5 | 2 | 2.87 | 1.81 |
| 3 | 2.62 | 1.69 | 3.12 |
| 3.5 | 2.62 | 1.69 | 3.12 |
| 4 | 1.43 | 1.81 | 5.75 |
| 4.5 | 1.43 | 1.81 | 5.75 |
| 5 | 5.25 | 3.12 | 1.33 |
| 5.5 | 5.25 | 1.32 | 3.34 |
| 6 | 1.56 | 5.75 | 1.34 |
| 6.5 | 2.87 | 5.75 | 1.34 |
| 7 | 1.68 | 1.33 | 3 |
| 7.5 | 10.5 | 3.38 | 1.94 |
| 8 | 10.5 | 1.34 | 1.94 |
| 8.5 | 1.81 | 3 | 2.06 |
| 9 | 3.12 | 3 | 2.06 |
| 9.5 | 1.32 | 1.94 | 7.75 |
| 10 | 5.75 | 3.88 | 2.19 |
| 10.5 | 5.75 | 2.06 | 4.12 |
| 11 | 1.33 | 7.75 | 15.5 |
| 11.5 | 3.37 | 2.18 | 15.5 |
| 12 | 1.34 | 4.12 | 2.44 |
| 12.5 | 3 | 2.31 | 4.38 |
| 13 | 1.94 | 15.5 | 1.94 |
| 13.5 | 1.72 | 2.44 | 8.25 |
| 1Y | 2.06 | 4.38 | 2.06 |
| 1.5Y | 7.75 | 1.94 | 4.62 |
| 2Y | 1.94 | 8.25 | 1.99 |
| 2.5Y | 4.12 | 1.96 | 4 |
| 3Y | 2.31 | 4.63 | 2.56 |
| 3.5Y | 15.5 | 1.97 | 2.56 |
| 4Y | 2.44 | 4 | 2.69 |
| 4.5Y | 4.4 | 2.56 | 10.25 |
| 5Y | 1.94 | 5.12 | 2.19 |
| 5.5Y | 8.25 | 2.69 | 5.37 |
| 6Y | 2.06 | 10.25 | 2.94 |
Find the perfect fit for your child’s shoes using our Kids’ Shoe Sizing Charts: Width, Age & Conversion . From measuring tips to conversing sizes, we have it all covered to ensure that your child feels comfortable and confident in their shoes.
What Is The Average Shoe Width?
As I mentioned above, the medium or average shoe width for men is D, and for women, it is B. Nevertheless, shoes with standard sizes are not always labeled with the equivalent width letters to signify this. A lot of shoe brands only indicate their shoes a width letter if they think the width is not within the medium or average range.
If you come across any shoe that is not labeled with any letter, the chances are high that it comes with a standard width. You can check the shoe width on the shoe box or sometimes in the insoles or outsoles.
But for shoes where an accurate fit is important, such as training or running shoes, you can easily find a wide variety of shoe widths.
So Do All Shoe Brands Come In Shoe Width?
In Europe, almost all shoes and other footwear typically come in standard widths. These are usually D for men’s shoes and B for women’s shoes. On the other hand, US shoe brands tend to provide a wide range of different widths. You can find this large selection of widths available in some popular shoe brands, such as New Balance, Munro, Clarks, etc.
If you wear shoes larger than size 8, you’re probably familiar with the 4E width. This indicates that the shoe is extra-wide and is created by adding more depth in the shoe’s construction. Check out this complete guide on the meaning of 4E in shoes to fully understand this sizing system and ensure the perfect fit for your feet.
Do Shoe Widths Change With Shoe Sizes?
Generally speaking, the bigger the foot is, the wider it seems to be. However, it is not always the case for everybody.
Besides, the shoe width and length are also corresponding to standard shoe sizes. In other words, smaller shoes tend to run tighter while larger shoes will run wider.
If you have short and wider feet or long and narrow feet, you might face some small problems. Fortunately, with the wide selection of widths available right now, you can easily find the right fitting width for your feet type.
Here is a helpful video demonstrating how shoe widths can vary.
Can My Feet Width Change Overtime?
It is believed that your foot width can change at any given time. There are different factors affecting this change, but mostly depending on your overall health. For example, the width of your feet might widen a bit if you retain too much water or gain weight. Other health conditions, such as pregnancy or diabetes, might also affect your foot width.
For being overweight or having diabetes, it seems to be easier to help reduce your foot width. This is because your feet can be smaller in size when you lose weight or alleviate insulin resistance.
If you have noticed changes in the width of your feet, it is important to know how to adjust your shoe size. You can try using basic ways to stretch synthetic shoes or like materials to accommodate your feet. It is also helpful to measure your feet before making a purchase. Using a BMI calculator can also be useful in determining any changes in foot width due to weight changes.
Conclusion
So, what does E mean in shoe size? I believe that now you have your own answer to this question. In short, E indicates wide width in men’s shoes, whereas it means extra wide for ladies’ shoes. The average width of this E letter ranges between 3.2 and 5.2 inches, which is typically measured across the area of your foot’s ball.
