footprint

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noun foot·print \ ˈfu̇t-ˌprint \

Definition of footprint

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

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

4 :something that identifies

a genetic footprint

See footprint defined for English-language learners

See footprint defined for kids

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 of footprint from the Web

India views China’s spreading footprints next door with dismay.

— The Economist, "One Lifebelt, One RoadChina makes Pakistan an offer it cannot refuse," 22 July 2017
Yes, San Diego would offer a footprint in America’s eighth largest city.

— bryce miller, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Long, Aztecs smartly sneak peek down college football road," 20 July 2017
Led by Governor Jerry Brown, a bipartisan coalition decided on July 17 to extend California's cap-and-trade program, which has been recognized as having reduced the state's carbon footprint.

— robert newhouse, Teen Vogue, "Homeland Security Offers 15,000 Additional Visas to Foreign Workers While Trump Pushes Businesses to “Hire American”," 18 July 2017
The gesture is aimed at helping the Kremlin cement its footprint in Syria and to solidify Kadyrov’s standing in the Muslim world.

— nataliya vasilyeva, The Seattle Times, "Chechnya becoming major player in rebuilding war-torn Syria," 18 July 2017
Grown by the sun and nature, wood has a lower carbon footprint than other building materials such as concrete and steel.

— washington forest protection association, The Seattle Times, "Sustainable forestry: A real solution for clean air," 17 July 2017
The best way to reduce your carbon footprint is one the government isn’t telling you about Get more great content like this delivered right to you!

— giorgia guglielmi, Science | AAAS, "Top stories: A killer cell transplant and the secret to reducing your carbon footprint," 14 July 2017
Because a carbon fee is a progressive tax, in the sense that rich people have bigger carbon footprints.

— david wallace-wells, Daily Intelligencer, "‘The Planet Could Become Ungovernable’: Climate Scientist James Hansen on Obama’s Environmental Record, Scientific Reticence, and His Climate Lawsuit Against the Federal Government," 12 July 2017
But even if Goldstone did take the effort to deactivate his social-media accounts, he’s left a footprint far too big to ignore.

— vanityfair.com, "The Man at the Center of Trump’s Latest Scandal Has Liveblogged His Entire Greek Vacation," 11 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'footprint.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.