footprint
noun
foot·print
ˈfu̇t-ˌprint 
1
: an impression of the foot on a surface
2
a
: the area on a surface covered by something
a tire with a wide footprint
the footprint of a laser beam
… a mini-transmitter … with a modest 5-inch x 5-inch x 3-inch footprint …—
Dennis P. Barker
Dennis P. Barker
b
: range of operation (as of a service)
a global footprint
3
: a marked effect, impression, or impact
left a footprint in the field of research
An Austrian artist canceled plans to sell 300 items of digital art … because of their mind-boggling environmental footprint.—Natasha Frost
see also carbon footprint
Natasha Frost4
: something that identifies
a genetic footprint
Examples of footprint in a Sentence
The child left her tiny footprints in the snow.
He walked into the kitchen with his boots on, making muddy footprints on the floor.
The new model has a smaller footprint than the older model.
Recent Examples on the Web
Note that the StreamSaver packages are available only to customers in Comcast’s footprint — who must be signed up for Xfinity broadband or TV service.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 9 Apr. 2026
Fooda has more than doubled its footprint since emerging from the pandemic, bringing its service to hundreds of cities, including smaller markets like Rockford and Joliet.
—Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
Imperial County supervisors voted to combine several parcels of land to clear the way for construction of a massive data center, which has faced opposition from residents who worry about the complex’s environmental footprint, Kori Suzuki reports for KPBS.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
This being Nantucket, the team contended with stringent zoning regulations governing building footprints, rooflines, and window heights; finessing the layout felt like expert-level Tetris.
—David Foxley, Architectural Digest, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for footprint
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Todd Spangler, Variety, 9 Apr. 2026
Fooda has more than doubled its footprint since emerging from the pandemic, bringing its service to hundreds of cities, including smaller markets like Rockford and Joliet.
—Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
Imperial County supervisors voted to combine several parcels of land to clear the way for construction of a massive data center, which has faced opposition from residents who worry about the complex’s environmental footprint, Kori Suzuki reports for KPBS.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
This being Nantucket, the team contended with stringent zoning regulations governing building footprints, rooflines, and window heights; finessing the layout felt like expert-level Tetris.
—David Foxley, Architectural Digest, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for footprint
Cite this Entry
“Footprint.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/footprint. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
footprint
noun
foot·print
ˈfu̇t-ˌprint
: a track left by the foot
Medical Definition
footprint
noun
foot·print
ˈfu̇t-ˌprint
: an impression of the foot on a surface
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