noun

footprint

/ˈfʊtprɪnt/ · say it: FUT·print

the ground area a building occupies

In Architecture & Design

In more detail

1. (noun) the mark or shape of a foot left on a surface

2. (noun) the area of space that something takes up or occupies

3. (noun) the amount of something (such as carbon emissions) produced by a person, organization, or activity

Examples

1. The detective found a footprint in the sand near the crime scene.
2. The new building has a small footprint and fits well in the city block.
3. Switching to renewable energy reduces your carbon footprint.

How to use footprint

Footprint is used literally for the physical mark left by a foot, but increasingly used metaphorically to describe the space or resources something occupies or consumes. The environmental sense (carbon footprint) is now common in formal and informal contexts alike, while the computing sense (digital footprint) refers to one's online presence and data trail.

Common phrases

carbon footprint
ecological footprint
leave a footprint
digital footprint
reduce your footprint
footprint size

Synonyms

mark · imprint · print · trace · impression

Word family

footprints (plural)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes use footprint when they simply mean the physical size or area of something unrelated to walking or environmental impact; while footprint can mean physical space occupied, it typically carries connotations of impact or trace rather than just size alone.

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