footprint

American  

[foot-print] / ˈfʊtˌprɪnt /

noun

1. a mark left by the shod or unshod foot, as in earth or sand.

2. an impression of the sole of a person's foot, especially one taken for purposes of identification.

3. Informal. the track of a tire, especially on wet pavement.

4. a unique set of characteristics, actions, etc., that leave a trace and serve as a means of identification.

   Be careful when you post on social media—your online footprint could harm your reputation.

   The tumors share the same genetic footprint.

5. the area affected by an increase in the level of sound or noise, as that generated by an airplane.

6. Telecommunications. the area of the earth's surface within which a communications satellite's signals can be received.

7. Aerospace. the area within which it is predicted that a spacecraft or its debris will land.

8. the surface space of a desk or tabletop occupied by a piece of equipment, especially a computer or other electronic device.

9. the surface area occupied by any structure, device, etc..

   The new store will have a large footprint.

10. the impact that humans have on the environment, especially in the utilization of natural resources.

    China's water footprint;

    ways to reduce our environmental footprint.

11. any impact or effect, or its scope.

    the company’s wide footprint across the state.

12. Also called ecological footprint.  the amount of biologically productive land and ocean area required to sustain the resource consumption and waste production of an individual, population, or human activity: measured in global acres or hectares.

13. Computers. the amount of memory or disk space required by a program.

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footprint British  

/ ˈfʊtˌprɪnt /

noun

1. an indentation or outline of the foot of a person or animal on a surface

2. the shape and size of the area something occupies

   enlarging the footprint of the building

   a computer with a small footprint

3. impact on the environment

4. a military presence

   since 1944, America's military footprint in Europe has been in the West

5. computing the amount of resources, such as disk space and memory, that an application requires See also electronic footprint

6. an identifying characteristic on land or water, such as the area in which an aircraft's sonic boom can be heard or the area covered by the down-blast of a hovercraft

7. the area in which the signal from a direct broadcasting satellite is receivable

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Etymology

Origin of footprint

First recorded in 1545–55; foot + print

Explanation

A footprint is the mark left by your feet on the ground or floor. If you dog runs away from you on the beach, you might find her by following her footprints in the sand. Your dad might scold you for tracking footprints across the clean kitchen floor — or you might hurry outside after a blizzard to be the first person in your neighborhood to make footprints in the fresh snow. A footprint is proof that you were there: similarly, a figurative kind of footprint is evidence of someone or something's presence or influence. For example, a company's "carbon footprint" is the amount of polluting greenhouse gas it emits.

Example Sentences

Separately, Dollar Tree on Thursday announced a partnership with DoorDash, and is now offering on-demand delivery from its full U.S. footprint of stores through the platform.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026

“Now the footprint of that would be smaller. … That threat is why we’re still holding those evacuation orders in place.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 25, 2026

But one of their most prominent modern counterparts may only have a digital footprint to leave behind for some of his most ambitious concepts.

From BBC • May 25, 2026

Warsh advocates for new inflation measurement methods, a smaller Fed market footprint, and a quieter central bank.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026

“The pig took off like a bird,” Bando says, studying the last footprint.

From "On the Far Side of the Mountain" by Jean Craighead George

Related Words

• footstep
• impression
• imprint