noun
- a mark left by the shod or unshod foot, as in earth or sand.
- an impression of the sole of a person’s foot, especially one taken for purposes of identification.
- Informal. the track of a tire, especially on wet pavement.
- 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.
- the area affected by an increase in the level of sound or noise, as that generated by an airplane.
- Telecommunications. the area of the earth’s surface within which a communications satellite’s signals can be received.
- Aerospace. the area within which it is predicted that a spacecraft or its debris will land.
- the surface space of a desk or tabletop occupied by a piece of equipment, especially a computer or other electronic device.
- the surface area occupied by any structure, device, etc.: The new store will have a large footprint.
- 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.
- any impact or effect, or its scope: the company’s wide footprint across Puerto Rico.
- Also called ecological footprint. 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.
- Computers. the amount of memory or disk space required by a program.
noun
- the amount of productive land appropriated on average by each person (in the world, a country, etc) for food, water, transport, housing, waste management, and other purposes
noun
- an indentation or outline of the foot of a person or animal on a surface
- the shape and size of the area something occupiesenlarging the footprint of the building; a computer with a small footprint
- impact on the environment
- a military presencesince 1944, America’s military footprint in Europe has been in the West
- computing the amount of resources, such as disk space and memory, that an application requiresSee also electronic footprint
- 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
- the area in which the signal from a direct broadcasting satellite is receivable
1550s, from foot (n.) + print. Related: Footprints. Old English had fotspor, fotswæð.