footprint

[ foot-print ]

noun

1. a mark left by the shod or unshod foot, as in earth or sand.
2. an impression of the sole of a person's foot, especially one taken for purposes of identification.
3. Informal. the track of a tire, especially on wet pavement.
4. a unique set of characteristics, actions, etc., that leave a trace and serve as a means of identification:

   Be careful when you post on social media—your online footprint could harm your reputation.

   The tumors share the same genetic footprint.

5. the area affected by an increase in the level of sound or noise, as that generated by an airplane.
6. Telecommunications. the area of the earth's surface within which a communications satellite's signals can be received.
7. Aerospace. the area within which it is predicted that a spacecraft or its debris will land.
8. the surface space of a desk or tabletop occupied by a piece of equipment, especially a computer or other electronic device.
9. the surface area occupied by any structure, device, etc.:

   The new store will have a large footprint.

10. the impact that humans have on the environment, especially in the utilization of natural resources:

    China's water footprint;

    ways to reduce our environmental footprint.

11. any impact or effect, or its scope:

    the company’s wide footprint across the state.

12. Also called ec·o·log·i·cal foot·print [ek, -, uh, -loj-i-k, uh, l , foot, -print, ee, k, uh, -]. the amount of biologically productive land and ocean area required to sustain the resource consumption and waste production of an individual, population, or human activity: measured in global acres or hectares.
13. Computers. the amount of memory or disk space required by a program.

footprint

/ ˈfʊtˌprɪnt /

noun

1. an indentation or outline of the foot of a person or animal on a surface
2. the shape and size of the area something occupies

   enlarging the footprint of the building

   a computer with a small footprint

3. impact on the environment
4. a military presence

   since 1944, America's military footprint in Europe has been in the West

5. computing the amount of resources, such as disk space and memory, that an application requires See also electronic footprint
6. an identifying characteristic on land or water, such as the area in which an aircraft's sonic boom can be heard or the area covered by the down-blast of a hovercraft
7. the area in which the signal from a direct broadcasting satellite is receivable

Word History and Origins

Origin of footprint¹

First recorded in 1545–55; foot + print

Example Sentences

"A big message from our work," summarized Halpern, "is that the decisions we make about what we eat are important for reducing our environmental footprint, but other people may pay the price for those decisions."

From Science Daily

He also plans to expand the Fresh Brothers footprint in California.

From Los Angeles Times

Ms Kaumba hopes that the Granny Series will highlight that older people still have a lot to offer - and making memories together is an important way to "leave footprints for the next generation".

From BBC

At Disneyland Resort, that will mean a cash infusion of at least $1.9 billion into an expanded footprint with additional attractions, shopping, dining and entertainment options.

From Los Angeles Times

Including the ride, the west side of Disneyland is home to five “The Princess and the Frog”-themed locales, giving the chef-turned-entrepreneur one of the larger footprints at the Disneyland Resort.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• footstep
• impression
• imprint