footprint

Etymology

From foot + print.

noun

1. The impression of the foot in a soft substance such as sand or snow.
   “Yes, there are two distinct sets of footprints, both wearing rubber shoes—one I think ordinary plimsolls, the other goloshes,” replied the sergeant. 1928, Lawrence R. Bourne, chapter 13, in Well Tackled!
2. Space required by a piece of equipment.
   This computer has a smaller footprint.
3. (computing) The amount of hard drive space required for a program.
4. (computing) The audit trail left by a crashed program.
5. (figurative) Profession or lifestyle.
   He is following in his father's footprints.
6. The surface space occupied by a structure.
   the footprint of a building
   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 […] 2007, Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS): Environmental Impact
   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. July 26 2023, Pip Dunn, “Merseyrail '777s' are OK for commuters”, in RAIL, number 988, page 60
7. A company's geographic market presence.
   The store, which is slated to open next month, increases the company's footprint in the market to 14 locations.
8. (ecology) The ecological impact of a human activity, machine, etc.
   My carbon footprint is very high.
9. Availability of a satellite from the ground.
   When a satellite's footprint covers a wider area than intended, the footprint is said to “spillover” into surrounding territory. 2014, August E. Grant, Ashley J. Bennington, Communication Technology Update, page 274
10. (cartography) A polygon representing the shape of an item.
    building footprint