CORDWAINERS, or CORDINERS, the term by which the statutes denominate shoemakers. The word is formed from the French cordonnier, which Menage derives from corduan, a kind of leather brought from Cordova, of which the upper leathers of shoes were formerly made. Others derive it from corde, rope, because anciently shoes were made of cords; as they still are in some parts of Spain, under the name of alpargates. But the former etymology is better warranted.