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

But new research published in Environmental Science and Technology on Wednesday shows the carbon footprint linked to metal mining could be 10 times greater than previously thought, with major implications for the world's climate goals.

From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 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

The fund holds real estate investment trusts with a lower carbon footprint and are less susceptible to climate risks such as sea-level rise, floods, and storms.

From Barron's ● Jun. 10, 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

But the fabrics, made with oil and coal, have a high carbon footprint and aren’t biodegradable.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 24, 2026