footnote

[foot-noht]

noun

1. an explanatory or documenting note or comment at the bottom of a page, referring to a specific part of the text on the page.

2. a minor or tangential comment or event added or subordinated to a main statement or more important event.

verb (used with object)

footnoted, footnoting 

1. to add a footnote or footnotes to (a text, statement, etc.); annotate.

   to footnote a dissertation.

footnote

/ ˈfʊtˌnəʊt /

noun

1. a note printed at the bottom of a page, to which attention is drawn by means of a reference mark in the body of the text

2. an additional comment, as to a main statement

verb

1. (tr) to supply (a page, book, etc) with footnotes

Word History and Origins

Origin of footnote¹

First recorded in 1835–45; foot + note

Example Sentences

It was a brilliant play, but one reduced to a mere footnote in the wake of a come-from-behind victory by the Chargers.

From Los Angeles Times

What might once have been a footnote in a quarterly earnings report has become a recognizable genre: the corporate reversal, performed in public, equal parts contrition and spectacle.

From Salon

Whether the lunch becomes a footnote in papal history or a touchstone for others will depend on how religious and political leaders respond.

From Salon

“I would point you to a footnote in Justice Jackson’s dissent in the birthright citizenship case that cited Fraenkel, ‘Dual State’ in talking about the regime of executive lawlessness that the court had ushered in.”

From Salon

But the FDA did not mention exemptions to import bans until 2024 — and only then in a single footnote of its 25-page report to Congress.

From Salon

Related Words

• explanation 
• reference 

When To Use

What’s the difference between a footnote and an endnote?

A footnote is a note at the bottom (the “foot”) of a page. An endnote is a note at the end of a text (such as an article, a chapter, or an entire book).The difference between footnotes and endnotes is their location, not their function. Both consist of information added to a text in another spot, such as an explanation or a citation of a source. They are both usually indicated with some kind of mark, often an asterisk* or a number¹. The same mark appears in another part of the text along with the corresponding note, either at the bottom of the page (making it a footnote) or at the end of the text (making it an endnote).Of course, if an article is only a single page, the note at the end could be called a footnote or an endnote.Here’s an example of footnote and endnote used correctly in the same sentence.Example: I use footnotes for tangential information so that readers can access it without turning the page, but I use endnotes for citations so they don’t clutter up the page.Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between footnote and endnote.