footprint
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈfʊtpɹɪnt/
Forms: form: footprints
Etymology: From foot + print.
Senses: examples: text: “Yes, there are two distinct sets of footprints, both wearing rubber shoes—one I think ordinary plimsolls, the other goloshes,” replied the sergeant.
ref: 1928, Lawrence R. Bourne, chapter 13, in Well Tackled!:
synonyms: footmark
ichnogram
glosses: The impression of the foot in a soft substance such as sand or snow.
examples: text: This computer has a smaller footprint.
glosses: Space required by a piece of equipment.
topics: computing
engineering
mathematics
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
sciences
glosses: The amount of hard drive space required for a program.
topics: computing
engineering
mathematics
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
sciences
glosses: The audit trail left by a crashed program.
examples: text: In a recent study with a movie recommendation site […], higher message interactivity in the form of footprints of user actions, responsive suggestions in a search box, and live-chatting with an online agent led to greater perceived contingency and engagement with the site, which ultimately created more positive attitudes toward it and higher intention to recommend the site to others.
ref: 2012, James Price Dillard, Lijiang Shen, The SAGE Handbook of Persuasion: Developments in Theory and Practice:
glosses: A trace left behind that gives evidence of some action having occurred.
examples: text: He is following in his father's footprints.
glosses: What a person has done before, as a profession or lifestyle, serving as a model for others.
examples: text: the footprint of a building
text: Heavy debris would generally travel farther downrange within the debris footprint; lighter material would generally fall near the point of intercept. Footprint lengths can vary […]
ref: 2007, Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS): Environmental Impact:
text: As a commuter train, there's not really much need for a lot of luggage provision, especially as there is a lot of space within the footprint of the saloon.
ref: 2023 July 26, Pip Dunn, “Merseyrail '777s' are OK for commuters”, in RAIL, number 988, page 60:
glosses: The surface space occupied by a structure.
examples: text: The store, which is slated to open next month, increases the company's footprint in the market to 14 locations.
glosses: A company's geographic market presence.
examples: text: My carbon footprint is very high.
topics: biology
ecology
natural-sciences
glosses: The ecological impact of a human activity, machine, etc.
examples: text: When a satellite's footprint covers a wider area than intended, the footprint is said to “spillover” ^([sic]) into surrounding territory.
ref: 2014, August E. Grant, Ashley J. Bennington, Communication Technology Update, page 274:
glosses: Availability of a satellite from the ground.
examples: text: building footprint
topics: cartography
geography
natural-sciences
glosses: A polygon representing the shape of an item.
Derived terms: carbon footprint
cyberfootprint
digital footprint
ecofootprint
ecological footprint
foodprint
footprinted
footprinting
footprints on the sands of time
noise footprint
plastic footprint
water footprint