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
California's total vineyard footprint was estimated at 477,475 acres in 2025, according to the California Association of Winegrape Growers, down from about 600,000 acres in recent years, based on earlier state estimates.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 12 Mar. 2026
JetBlue is expanding service at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport as the airline looks to take advantage of Spirit’s financial issues and grow its footprint in South Florida.
—Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 12 Mar. 2026
Geographically, how separate are the different conferences, since the headquarters are spread out, outside of the convention center footprint that used to hold everything together?
—Chris Willman, Variety, 12 Mar. 2026
While the Chicago retail footprint isn’t expected to grow, O’Rourke believes the merger of relative equals will help both banks continue to build business.
—Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for footprint
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 12 Mar. 2026
JetBlue is expanding service at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport as the airline looks to take advantage of Spirit’s financial issues and grow its footprint in South Florida.
—Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 12 Mar. 2026
Geographically, how separate are the different conferences, since the headquarters are spread out, outside of the convention center footprint that used to hold everything together?
—Chris Willman, Variety, 12 Mar. 2026
While the Chicago retail footprint isn’t expected to grow, O’Rourke believes the merger of relative equals will help both banks continue to build business.
—Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 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 Mar. 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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