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
Unlike Apollo, which focused on fast flags and footprints in a breakneck race against the Soviet Union, Artemis is striving for a sustainable moon base elaborate enough to satisfy even the most hard-core science fiction fans.
—Marcia Dunn, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
Legendary actor Glenn Close is set to be immortalized outside will the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood with a hand and footprint ceremony.
—Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 2 Apr. 2026
The back of the cap has Neil Armstrong’s footprint from the 1969 Apollo 11 mission, while the constellation Orion on the rim represents the Artemis II mission, Lucas explained in a video shared by Freelancer after he was announced as a finalist.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026
Last month, the Connecticut Siting Council signed off on a 30-megawatt expansion that would add an additional 150 acres to Gravel Pit’s footprint in East Windsor.
—John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for footprint
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Marcia Dunn, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
Legendary actor Glenn Close is set to be immortalized outside will the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood with a hand and footprint ceremony.
—Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 2 Apr. 2026
The back of the cap has Neil Armstrong’s footprint from the 1969 Apollo 11 mission, while the constellation Orion on the rim represents the Artemis II mission, Lucas explained in a video shared by Freelancer after he was announced as a finalist.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026
Last month, the Connecticut Siting Council signed off on a 30-megawatt expansion that would add an additional 150 acres to Gravel Pit’s footprint in East Windsor.
—John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 2 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 5 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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