An overshoe is a waterproof covering you wear over your regular shoes to protect them from rain, snow, slush, or mud. Think of them like raincoats for your feet. Overshoes slip on over the shoes you're already wearing, keeping them dry and clean when you need to walk through puddles or slushy sidewalks.

Before modern materials like rubber and plastic became common, people wore overshoes called galoshes made from treated fabric or early rubber. Today, overshoes are popular with cyclists who want to keep their bike shoes dry in wet weather, or with workers who need to protect nice shoes when entering muddy construction sites.

You might also hear them called shoe covers or galoshes, though galoshes traditionally refers to a specific style of rubber overshoe that was especially popular in the early 1900s. Some overshoes are disposable paper or plastic covers used in hospitals or museums, while others are sturdy rubber covers designed to last for years.