What does 2E width mean in shoes?

2E (also written EE) is a wide shoe width, one step wider than the standard E/D width. For a men's size 9, a 2E width measures approximately 101 mm (about 4 inches) at the widest part of the foot. 2E is the most common wide width available from mainstream shoe brands.

What is the difference between D and EE width shoes?

D is the standard medium width for men's shoes and a wide width for women's shoes. EE (2E) is wide for men and extra-wide for women. For a size 9, D width is approximately 97 mm wide while EE is approximately 101 mm wide — a difference of about 4 mm (roughly 3/16 inch). EE shoes provide significantly more room across the ball of the foot.

How do I measure shoe width at home?

Stand on a piece of paper and trace around your foot. Measure the widest part of the tracing from side to side — this is your foot width in millimeters. Compare this to the width chart for your shoe size to determine your width code. Always measure both feet and use the larger measurement, as feet are rarely identical.

Shoe Width Guide: US, UK & EU Width Codes Explained

US Shoe Width Codes — Men's and Women's

US shoe widths are designated by letters, ranging from the narrowest (AAA) to the widest (EEEE). The standard “medium” width differs between men and women: men's standard is D, while women's standard is B. This means a men's D is physically wider than a women's D, even though both are labeled the same letter.

Width Code	Common Name	Men's Classification	Women's Classification	Approx. Width at Size 9 (mm)
AAA (3A)	Extra Narrow	Extra Narrow	Extra Narrow	85
AA (2A)	Narrow	Narrow	Extra Narrow	89
N / B	Narrow / Slim	Narrow	Narrow	93
M / D	Medium / Standard	Standard	Wide	97
W / E	Wide	Wide	Extra Wide	99
EE / 2E	Extra Wide	Extra Wide	Extra Extra Wide	101
EEE / 3E	Triple Wide	Triple Wide	Triple Wide	104
EEEE / 4E	Quad Wide	Quad Wide	Quad Wide	107

Width measurements increase approximately 3–5 mm with each half-size in shoe length. The values above are for size 9 (US men's). Actual widths are slightly smaller for smaller shoe sizes.

US vs UK vs EU Width Systems

US Code	UK Description	EU Width (Mondopoint)	Notes
AA	Narrow (N)	C	Rare in mainstream brands
B (women's std)	Standard	D	Women's standard
D (men's std)	Standard (F)	F	Men's standard
E	Wide (G)	G	Men's wide
EE / 2E	Extra Wide (H)	H	Most common wide option
EEE / 3E	Super Wide	I / J	Specialist brands

EU/Mondopoint widths use letters C through J, where each letter step represents approximately 5 mm of additional width. Many European brands simply label shoes as “Normal” or “Wide” rather than using letter codes.

How to Measure Shoe Width at Home

Stand on a blank sheet of paper on a hard floor. Place your full weight on the foot being measured.
Trace around your foot with a pencil held vertically (not angled inward).
Use a ruler to measure the widest part of the tracing from side to side. This is your foot width.
Measure both feet — most people have one foot slightly wider. Use the larger measurement.
Compare your measurement to the chart above for your shoe length size.

Why Shoe Width Matters

Wearing the wrong width causes unnecessary foot fatigue, blisters, bunions, and long-term joint problems. A shoe that is too narrow compresses the toes; one that is too wide allows the foot to slide, creating friction. If you find that shoes in your regular length either squeeze the ball of your foot or leave excess space at the sides, a width fitting is the right solution rather than going up or down a length size.

Use our length converter to convert foot width measurements between millimeters, centimeters, and inches.