foot

1 of 2

noun

ˈfu̇t 

plural feet ˈfēt  also foot

1

: the terminal part of the vertebrate (see vertebrate entry 1) leg upon which an individual stands

walking around in bare feet

tracks made by the feet of a bird

I'm going home to put my feet up. [=to sit and relax]

2

: an invertebrate organ of locomotion or attachment

especially : a ventral (see ventral entry 1 sense 1b) muscular surface or process of a mollusk

3

: any of various units of length based on the length of the human foot

especially : a unit equal to ⅓ yard and comprising 12 inches

—plural foot used between a number and a noun

a 10-foot pole

—plural feet or foot used between a number and an adjective

6 feet tall

see Weights and Measures Table

4

: the basic unit of verse meter consisting of any of various fixed combinations or groups of stressed and unstressed or long and short syllables

Each line of the poem contains five feet.

5

a

: motion or power of walking or running : step

fleet of foot

b

: speed, swiftness

showed early foot

6

: something resembling a foot in position or use: such as

a

: the lower end of the leg of a chair or table

b(1)

: the basal portion of the sporophyte in mosses

(2)

: a specialized outgrowth by which the embryonic sporophyte especially of many bryophytes absorbs nourishment from the gametophyte

c

: a piece on a sewing machine that presses the cloth against the feed

7

foot plural, chiefly British : infantry

8

: the lower edge (as of a sail)

9

: the lowest part : bottom

the foot of the hill

10

a

: the end that is lower or opposite the head

the foot of the bed

b

: the part (as of a stocking) that covers the foot

11

foots plural in form but singular or plural in construction : material deposited especially in aging or refining : dregs

12

foots plural : footlights

see also:

at one's feet foot in the door off one's feet on foot on one's feet on the right foot on the wrong foot to one's feet

foot

2 of 2

verb

footed; footing; foots

intransitive verb

1

: dance

2

: to go on foot

3

of a sailboat : to make speed : move

transitive verb

1

a

: to perform the movements of (a dance)

b

: to walk, run, or dance on, over, or through

2

archaic

a

: kick

b

: reject

3

archaic : establish

4

a

: to add up

b

: to pay or stand credit for

foot the bill

5

: to make or renew the foot of

foot a stocking

Synonyms of foot

Noun

• bottom
• base

Verb

• pay
• stand

Examples of foot in a Sentence

Noun

He was wearing boots on his feet.

tracks made by the feet of a bird

The people in the crowd began to stamp their feet.

They camped at the foot of the mountain.

at the foot of the stairs

the foot of the table

Verb

I'll foot the bill for dinner.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Police officers who were working to direct traffic for the race received a call of an officer down about a block off the race course roughly 300 feet from the location of the misdirection. —Kevin Dotson, CNN Money, 4 Mar. 2026

During the current 2026 cycle, officials have observed eruptions reaching 20 to 30 feet and lasting about two to three minutes each. —Munis Raza, Interesting Engineering, 4 Mar. 2026

Verb

While this isn't entirely surprising, as February is historically a weak month prone to deep pullbacks, now the escalating tensions with Iran have taken center stage, preventing the broader market from finding a firm footing to recover from the recent rout. —Nishant Pant, CNBC, 3 Mar. 2026

The correspondence offers the clearest explanation yet for Washington’s refusal to pay, injecting fresh uncertainty into questions about whether any of the $608 million Florida is seeking will ever materialize — and what part of the bill Florida taxpayers will have to foot. —Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 3 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English fot, from Old English fōt; akin to Old High German fuot foot, Latin ped-, pes, Greek pod-, pous

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Phrases Containing foot

• acre-foot
• athlete's foot
• bird's-foot trefoil
• bird's-foot violet
• board foot
• calf's-foot jelly
• claw-foot
• cloven foot
• crow's-foot
• fescue foot
• flat foot
• fleet of foot
• foot-and-mouth disease
• foot-candle
• foot-dragging
• foot fault
• foot in the door
• foot patrol
• foot-pound
• foot-pound-second
• foot rot
• foot soldier
• foot the bill
• foot traffic
• from head to foot/toe
• get one's foot in the door
• get/start off on the right foot
• get/start off on the wrong foot
• hand and foot
• hand, foot and mouth disease
• have one foot in the grave
• lead foot
• light-foot
• my foot
• neat's-foot oil
• not touch (someone or something) with a ten-foot pole
• on foot
• on the right foot
• on the right/wrong foot
• on the wrong foot
• pedestrian/foot traffic
• put a foot wrong
• put one foot in front of the other
• put one's best foot forward
• put one's foot down
• put one's foot in it
• put one's foot in one's mouth
• set foot in
• set foot on
• shoot oneself in the foot
• single-foot
• the boot is on the other foot
• the shoe is on the other foot
• trench foot
• tube foot
• wait on (someone) hand and foot
• wouldn't touch (something) with a 10-foot pole
• wrong-foot

Rhymes for foot

• put
• soot
• afoot
• barefoot
• bigfoot
• blackfoot
• caput
• clubfoot
• cocksfoot
• crowfoot
• forefoot
• input

Kids Definition

foot

1 of 2 noun

ˈfu̇t 

plural feet ˈfēt  also foot

1

a

: the end part of the leg below the ankle of a vertebrate animal

b

: an organ upon which an invertebrate animal stands or moves

especially : a bottom muscular part of a mollusk

2

: a unit of length equal to ⅓ yard or 12 inches (0.3048 meter)

a 10-foot pole

six feet tall

see measure

3

: the basic unit of verse meter made up of a group of accented and unaccented syllables

4

: something resembling an animal's foot in position or use or in being opposite the head

the foot of a mountain

the foot of a bed

foot

2 of 2 verb

1

a

: dance entry 1 sense 1

b

: walk entry 1 sense 1

c

: run entry 1 sense 1a

2

a

: to add up

b

: to pay or provide for paying

foot the bill

Medical Definition

foot

noun

ˈfu̇t 

plural feet ˈfēt  also foot

1

: the terminal part of the vertebrate leg upon which an individual stands

2

: any of various units of length based on the length of the human foot

especially : a unit equal to ¹/₃ yard or 12 inches or 30.48 centimeters

—plural foot used between a number and a noun

a 10-foot pole

—plural feet or foot used between a number and an adjective

6 feet tall