carbon footprint

American  

noun

• carbon footprints
  plural

1. the amount of carbon dioxide or other carbon compounds emitted into the atmosphere by the activities of an individual, company, country, etc..

   the carbon footprint of an overseas flight;

   how to measure your carbon footprint.

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carbon footprint British  

noun

1. a measure of the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere by a single endeavour or by a company, household, or individual through day-to-day activities over a given period

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• carbon footprints
  plural

Etymology

Origin of carbon footprint

First recorded in 1995–2000

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

carbon footprint

Much of this is a reaction to efforts by progressives that encourage people to shrink their carbon footprint and waste less of the earth’s resources.

From Salon ● Aug. 28, 2026

For now, most German states have lifted the Sunday trucking ban -- banking on a mode of transport with a far heavier carbon footprint than river boats.

From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026

"But I think nuclear technology clearly is important in the future, particularly if we think about energy and reducing our carbon footprint."

From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026

Between 1998 and 2022, Scotland's carbon footprint fell by 17.5%.

From BBC ● Jun. 9, 2026

The carbon footprint of a single LP was estimated to be roughly equal to the pollution a gas-powered vehicle emits over a three-mile trip.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2026