carbon footprint

noun

: the amount of greenhouse gases and specifically carbon dioxide emitted by something (such as a person's activities or a product's manufacture and transport) during a given period

Examples of carbon footprint in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Using a scalable, zero-emission VTOL network, UB aims to move organs from lab to bedside without the carbon footprint — or the traffic delays — of standard transport. —Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 12 May 2026

Their carbon footprint has been calculated by external life-cycle assessment experts and published in a study verified by auditing firm EY. —Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 6 May 2026

Phillips warns of selecting containers that are composed entirely of non-recycled plastics or those with a high-carbon footprint. —Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 1 May 2026

Terracycle, a recycling company with a major distribution center in Aurora, will also be on-site to educate the community about waste diversion and creating a zero-carbon footprint, according to the news release. —Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1999, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for carbon footprint

• blueprint
• imprint
• misprint
• newsprint
• nonprint
• preprint
• reprint
• clint
• dint
• glint
• hint
• lint

Kids Definition

carbon footprint

noun

: the amount of greenhouse gases and especially carbon dioxide given off by something (as a person's activities or a product's manufacture and transport) during a given period