M means “medium” width in women’s shoe size. Sometimes, B is also referred to as the medium width in women’s shoe size instead of M.
For all of us, walking is just an everyday task. And at the end of the day, shoes are needed for this purpose. However, finding the right size of sneakers or shoes to walk comfortably is not always easy. You need to get a pair with a nice fit.
There are two most important things you need to keep in mind when choosing comfortable cross training shoes, including shoe length and shoe width. Lots of you might have come across some abbreviations and letters, such as M, D, BM, H, D(m), B(m), and many other letterings. So, what does M mean in shoe size? In this article, I will explain these terms and other crucial things so that you can pick the right shoe size next time shopping for new shoes.
Related Articles: Understanding more about Shoe Size Conversion Chart.
What does M Mean in Shoe Size?
In shoe size, M denotes medium shoe width. Sometimes, you will see two versions, including D(m) and B(m). while D(m) represents medium shoe width for men, B(m) stands for medium shoe width for women.
It simply means that m signifies medium, D is medium for men, and B is for women.
For that reason, M helps you differentiate the medium shoe width between women and men.
What does H Mean in Shoe Size?
H indicates different things. Firstly, H means half shoe size. For instance, if the shoe size is 9H, then it is simply 9 ½.
However, H also stands for extra-wide in shoe size for men in some cases. This depends on the place you are going to buy your shoes. If you are still confused, you can always ask the salesperson to help you.
Generally speaking, H is popular only in men’s shoe sizes. It can bring a sharp effect and help them not to look loose while wearing.
What does B Mean in Shoe Size?
While width B is the standard width for women’s shoes, it is considered surprisingly wide and narrow for men.
You might see that lots of women’s shoes are not marked as thin or wide. In this case, they are usually marked as B instead. Ladies’ shoes with a B width are typically between 3.6 and 4.1 on the foot’s arch.
M is also sometimes used instead of B since both letters relate to the medium. B is more popular in women’s shoe sizes, while H is more common in men’s.
So, next time when you are purchasing new shoes and see the letter B on the shoe, it means that the shoes can be either wide or narrow.
What does GS Mean in Shoes?
The GS typically stands for “grade school” and denotes a shoe’s width relative to the child’s foot, as well as their size. But what does it really mean? The “G-S” commonly refers to children shoes, but only in the United States. Outside of this area (North America and parts of Europe), there is no meaning behind G-S tagged onto footwear models
GS can be either an acronym or just a family branding that was created by one specific company. In most instances, it is branded with “G” for girls and “M” for boys – showing us which gender we are looking for. So GS is not really an acronym at all, but you can find it on shoes in different places.
GS = Girl’s Shoes Some might say that G-S are children’s shoes, while others would argue it means “shoes for girls.” The same goes for M-S standing for boys’ shoes.
Read more about What does GS Mean in Shoes?
Different Shoes Width Categories
When it comes to shoe sizes in general and shoe width in particular, there are some categories variable in the US as follows:
A Shoe Width
If you usually wear a pair of shoes with A width, you have narrow feet. This is usually more common in women rather than men. So, it is very understandable that females tend to have smaller feet than males.
A-width shoes often have average measurements ranging from 3.4 to 3.9 inches on the lower ball of the foot. These measurements vary depending on your shoe size.
AA and AAA Shoe Width
If A indicates narrow in females and exceptionally narrow in males, then AA is even tighter, and AAA is, of course, more so. So, you might sometimes see a pair of shoes with AAAA width, but it is very rare.
This simply means that the more A letters you see on the sneaker’s tag, the tighter the sneaker is. Basically, for each A on the shoe tag, the shoe width is reduced by 0.25 inches each time.
B Shoe Width
As I mentioned above, B width is more common in women’s shoe sizes than in men’s. This is because this width is really narrow for men. And a lady who has medium-sized feet will find a pair of shoes with B width perfectly fit her feet.
Typically, the B width in shoes is from 3.6 to 4.1 inches on the lower of the ball of the foot. Apparently, your suitable shoe width is highly dependent on the accurate size of your foot.
I believe that some of you might have experienced purchasing a pair of women’s shoes but couldn’t find the width size on the shoe tag. In this case, your shoes probably come in a standard shoe width. In other words, B width is considered the normal width here.
But sometimes, you might also come across B(m). So, what does B(m) mean in shoe size? It is simply the average or medium width for ladies. This means that the letter B will only be seen on women’s shoe sizes, not shoe sizes for men. And the B width here means that the shoe width is either wide or narrow.
C Shoe Width
If you plan to buy a new pair of shoes for men and see the letter C on the shoe size tag, it means narrow. A C-width pair of shoes for women, on the other hand, means wide.
However, a pair of shoes with a C width is not really common for males because they tend to have wide feet. And of course, it is not also popular among ladies. It is because women who wear shoes with a bigger size than the standard size tend to choose the ones with D width.
D Shoe Width
The D-width shoe size is common among both women and men. Nevertheless, D in women’s shoe size means wide, while D in men’s shoe size means medium.
Basically, a pair of shoes with a D width has average measurements between 3 and 5 inches on the lower of the foot’s ball. Of course, this measurement highly depends on your shoe size. For instance, the side 14D in men’s shoes is 4.5 inches on the lower of the foot’s ball. On the other hand, it is 4 inches across the bottom of the foot’s ball in size 10D.
E Shoe Width
As you might all know, women’s shoe sizes are usually narrower than men’s. So, as regards the E shoe width category, it means extra wide for females but wide for males.
As usual, the measurement will be determined based on the foot’s size. Typically, a pair of shoes with E width have measurements ranging from 3.2 to 5.2 inches on the lower of the foot’s ball. For instance, it is 4.7 inches in men’s shoes with 14E width, while 10E men’s shoes will have the measurement of 4.2 inches across the lower of the foot’s ball.
EE Shoe Width
In this case, EE shoe width means extra wide for both women and men. However, it is obvious that a pair of EE-width footwear for women is narrower than that for men.
For those who don’t know, not many women bought shoes with EED width in the past. That was why the production was really restricted. Nevertheless, in the past 10 years, there has been a significant increase in the production of shoes for this width for different reasons.
Like another shoe width, the EE shoe width is measured across the lower of the foot’s ball, and the measurement ranges from 3.4 to 5.4 inches. Again, this measurement always depends on your shoe size.
EEE Shoe Width
So now you know what EE means in shoe size. You might wonder how a pair of shoes with EEE width measures. You know, this is not a popular shoe width for both women and men. In other words, this width is tailor-made in most cases.
M Shoe Width
This can be considered one of the most common shoe widths. But what does M mean in shoe size? If you see the M letter on the shoe size tag, it means that the shoe is neither too wide nor narrow. Instead, M means average or medium width. In other words, M means medium width in females’ shoe sizes.
Sometimes, you might see the B(m) abbreviation in shoe sizes. This is more common in women’s shoe sizes than in men’s. It is simply the medium or average shoe width for ladies. I have mentioned above that M stands for medium, whereas B denotes an average or medium shoe width.
Chances are you will see the D(m) on the shoe size tag, and you are likely checking out men’s shoes. But what does D(m) mean in shoe size? This abbreviation indicates the medium or average shoe width for males.
As noted previously, D means the medium size of male’s shoes, whereas M helps you differentiate that the shoe has an average width.
But what about M? What does M mean in shoe size? If you see the M letter on the shoe size tag, it refers to the medium width of the shoe. It is also considered the standard letter indicating the medium width in women’s shoes.
W Shoe Width
What does W mean in shoe size? If M means medium, then W means wide in shoe size. Sometimes, you might not find the width of a pair of shoes. It means that the shoes have M width. In other words, it comes in medium width.
On the other hand, if the shoe you are checking out has a W letter on the tag, it means that the shoes you are holding have a wide width. Since the letters M and W are popularly known abbreviations, they are used by a lot of shoe manufacturers. This helps customers not to be confused when choosing the right width for their shoe sizes, typically if they are from other countries outside the US.
To help you quickly understand these abbreviations in shoe sizes, I have put together the shoe width sizes of toddlers, women, and men as below.
Toddler’s Shoe Size Chart
| M | Medium |
| W | Wide |
| WX | Extra Wide |
Women’s Shoes Width Sizes
| AAAA | Super slim |
| AA | Narrow |
| B | Medium |
| D | Wide |
| EE | Extra Wide |
Men’s Shoes Width Sizes
| B | Narrow |
| D | Average or Medium |
| EE | Wide |
| EEE | Extra Wide |
How to Measure Shoe Width?
It is more simple to measure shoe width when you are buying shoes at shoe stores. However, what to do if you want to order online? Well, in this part, I will give you three different ways to measure shoe width.
Look for Shoe Charts
You can always find shoe size charts on the internet. Simply google some common shoe size charts, and you should be able to find the suitable shoe width relative to your shoe length. But you will need your exact shoe length if you want to measure your shoe width with this method.
With Measuring Tape
This method seems to be more simple as you don’t need to spend time looking for online shoe size charts. And you can completely do this at home with some easy-to-find devices, including measuring tape, a pencil/pen, and paper.
First, place the paper on the ground and put one of your feet on the paper. Then draw along the contours of your foot with a pencil/pen. It is easier and more correct if you ask someone else to do this for you. Of course, you can do it on your own. Remember to keep the pencil/pen close to the outline of your foot as it will give you a more exact result.
But if you will be wearing your socks with your shoes, then it is highly recommended to draw your foot’s outline on the paper while wearing your socks.
Then get the measuring tape and measure the width and length of the sketch of your foot.
You should measure the width between which corners are widest. And it must be done horizontally for the most accurate measurements.
There is always a chance of error in everything. So, you should take at least two or even 3 sketches of your foot. Then take one that you think is the most correct.
You will also want to subtract around 0.5 or 0.25 inches from the real reading because all the traces from the pencil/pen can result in variation in the result.
And now, you will be able to get the right width for your shoes.
Using Foot Shapers
Another way to measure the shoe width or size is using American foot shapers. These will tell you your accurate foot size. These foot shapers can be easily found online or at local stores. This can be considered the simplest way among the three methods, but it requires a certain investment, not really expensive though.
The Difference Between Women and Men Shoe Width
As you all know, women and men have different shoe size charts as women tend to have narrower feet than men.
While A is used only in women’s shoe sizes, EEE and other letters/abbreviations are overwhelmingly popular among men’s shoe widths. For example, D is categorized as wide for women but medium for men. Even so, lots of shoe brands are changing this “standard” to make it suitable for women with wider feet.
The Importance of Width in Shoes
Measuring the accurate width for your feet is as important as measuring the correct length. You know how uncomfortable and awkward it is when wearing a pair of shoes that is either too tight or too wide. Sometimes, it even causes blisters and pain. Therefore, you will always need to measure your shoe width and length before deciding to buy any pair of new shoes.
Typically, the shoe width is calculated by the corner-to-corner distance of the arch of your foot. It is not 100% correct but considered within standard measurements.
The Impact of Wearing Narrow Shoes
If you wear a pair of tight shoes, chances are you will get a variety of medical issues, such as bunions, hammertoes, foot deformities, bruises, etc. In some cases, heavy sweating or spasms that can lead to parasitic or bacterial infections are also typical problems.
But What If Shoes are Too Wide
You will feel cozy enough if you are wearing a pair of wide shoes. More importantly, it can rub against the front of your toes or the back of your heel. As a result, it causes callus more seriously a bone spike.
Wide shoes will also not provide you with enough stability when you are walking. Your feet can move around too much, which can result in the grating, leading to irritations and even injuries. Hammertoes and nail problems are extra issues with shoes that are very big.
Frequently Asked Questions
How wide is B width?
While the B width is considered the standard shoe width in women’s shoe size, it is incredibly tight for men. Women’s shoes might be B width if they are not labeled as being narrow or wide. Basically, the B width in shoes has the average measurements from 3.6 to 4.1 inches across the foot’s ball.
Is D width wide or medium?
Women’s or men’s shoes have their own standards when it comes to shoe width. While D is classified as wide in women’s shoe sizes, it is medium in men’s.
Is D wider than EE?
No, D is narrower than EE in shoe widths. While EE means extra wide, D denotes medium.
What does M mean in shoe size?
M stands for medium in shoe width. Sometimes, you will see B(m) and D(m) on the shoe tag. If the letter B(m) means medium or average shoe width for ladies, D(m) indicates medium width in men’s shoes.
What does C mean in shoe width?
C is commonly known as extra wide when it comes to shoe width.
Conclusion
So now you get the answer to the question “what does M mean in shoe size” and even other common abbreviations. Just remember to measure your foot width and length before choosing the shoe size for the most accurate result.
Also, the measurements should be better done after a walk or at the end of the day. This is because your foot can be swollen, and your foot size can increase a little bit after continuous walking. And obviously, you are wearing shoes for walking.
You can also buy shoes online once you determine the exact measurement of your foot width and length. But, it is still better to buy them directly at a store.
