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

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

4

: something that identifies

a genetic footprint

Synonyms of footprint

• footstep

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

Endemol Shine Brasil has been aggressively expanding its production footprint across traditional, digital and vertical microdramas. — Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026

Open storage and practical furniture make surprisingly efficient use of the footprint, while floor-to-ceiling windows flood the space with California sunshine. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Oct. 2026

The shallow cultural footprint of these titles, at least two of which succeeded critically and/or financially, testifies to comedy’s waning as a cinematic form. — Dan Brooks, New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2026

Tech companies have been growing their data center footprint in states like Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. — Ananya Chetia, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1552, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing footprint

• carbon footprint
• digital footprint

Rhymes for footprint

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

Kids 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