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
The company said in a statement to USA TODAY that the openings are part of the restaurant chain’s expansion of its national footprint.
—Saleen Martin, USA Today, 25 Nov. 2025
Smaller environmental footprint Apart from its speed, the material has a much smaller environmental footprint.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 25 Nov. 2025
Particularly, the Bounceland Royal Palace has a compact footprint but can still accommodate five children.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 24 Nov. 2025
Larger suppliers are responding by optimizing their footprints while chasing digitization and automation, and smaller players, meanwhile, are under mounting pressure.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 24 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for footprint
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Saleen Martin, USA Today, 25 Nov. 2025
Smaller environmental footprint Apart from its speed, the material has a much smaller environmental footprint.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 25 Nov. 2025
Particularly, the Bounceland Royal Palace has a compact footprint but can still accommodate five children.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 24 Nov. 2025
Larger suppliers are responding by optimizing their footprints while chasing digitization and automation, and smaller players, meanwhile, are under mounting pressure.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 24 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for footprint
Cite this Entry
“Footprint.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/footprint. Accessed 7 Dec. 2025.
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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