noun · 10 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
/ˈfʊtstɛp/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:F UH1 T S T EH2 P
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The mark or impression left by a foot; a track.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
The child watched as his footsteps in the sand were washed away by the waves.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: footprint, step, track
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The indications or waypoints of a course or direction taken.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: broadly, figuratively, sometimes
Examples
To walk the footsteps of greatness requires that you start at the bottom of a long stair.
follow in someone's footsteps
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: point, path, step, trail
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
The sound made by walking, running etc.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
The footsteps of the students echoed in the empty hall.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: footfall, plod, step, tread
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
A step, as in a stair.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
The garden path had a small footstep down to the main walkway.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: riser, step
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
The distance between one foot and the next when walking; a pace.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
Mere footsteps away from the victim lay the murder weapon.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: pace, step, stride
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
The act of taking a step.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
Take one more footstep towards me, and I'll make you sorry!
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: pace, plod, step, stride, tread
Antonyms: none provided
7
noun
Meaning 7
An inclined plane under a hand printing press.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
noun
Meaning 8
the act of taking a step in walking
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: step
9
noun
Meaning 9
the sound of a step of someone walking
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
he heard footsteps on the porch
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: footfall, step
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: sound
Narrower terms: tramp
10
noun
Meaning 10
the distance covered by a step
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
he stepped off ten paces from the old tree and began to dig
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: pace, step, stride
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: indefinite quantity
History
Etymology
From Middle English fotstep, fotstappe, from Old English *fōtstepe, *fōtstæpe (attested only in derivative fōtstappel (“footstep”)), equivalent to foot + step. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Foutstappe (“footstep”), West Frisian fuotstap (“footstep”), Dutch voetstap (“footstep”).
Across languages
Translations
117 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Albanian:
Gjurmë
— mark left by a foot
Albanian:
Verkam (gheg)
— mark left by a foot
Bashkir:
эҙ
(eź)
— mark left by a foot
Bulgarian:
стъпка
(stǎpka)
— mark left by a foot
Czech:
stopa
— mark left by a foot
Dutch:
voetafdruk
— mark left by a foot
Dutch:
voetstap
— mark left by a foot
Esperanto:
piedsigno
— mark left by a foot
Estonian:
jalajälg
— mark left by a foot
Finnish:
jalanjälki
— mark left by a foot
French:
empreinte
— mark left by a foot
French:
trace de pas
— mark left by a foot
German:
Fußabdruck
— mark left by a foot
Ancient Greek:
ἴχνος
(íkhnos)
— mark left by a foot
Hungarian:
lábnyom
— mark left by a foot
Istriot:
urma
— mark left by a foot
Italian:
impronta
— mark left by a foot
Italian:
pedata
— mark left by a foot
Central Kurdish:
شوێنپێ
(şwênpê)
— mark left by a foot
Northern Kurdish:
şûnpê
— mark left by a foot
Latin:
vestigium
— mark left by a foot
Māori:
takahanga waewae
— mark left by a foot
Māori:
āhiki
— mark left by a foot
Māori:
tapuwae
— mark left by a foot
Old East Slavic:
плесна
(plesna)
— mark left by a foot
Portuguese:
pegada
— mark left by a foot
Portuguese:
passo
— mark left by a foot
Russian:
след
(sled)
— mark left by a foot
Spanish:
huella
— mark left by a foot
Spanish:
paso
— mark left by a foot
Swahili:
nyayo
— mark left by a foot
Swedish:
fotavtryck
— mark left by a foot
Swedish:
fotspår
— mark left by a foot
Turkish:
ayak izi
— mark left by a foot
Ukrainian:
слід
(slid)
— mark left by a foot
Albanian:
Gjurmët
— signs of a course taken
Albanian:
Verkamt (gheg)
— signs of a course taken
Czech:
stopa
— signs of a course taken
Dutch:
spoor
— signs of a course taken
Dutch:
voetafdruk
— signs of a course taken
Esperanto:
spuro
— signs of a course taken
Estonian:
jälg
— signs of a course taken
Finnish:
jalanjälki
— signs of a course taken
Hungarian:
nyomdok
— signs of a course taken
Italian:
orma
— signs of a course taken
Central Kurdish:
پێنگاو
(pêngaw)
— signs of a course taken
Northern Kurdish:
pêngav
— signs of a course taken
Portuguese:
pegada
— signs of a course taken
Russian:
след
(sled)
— signs of a course taken
Swahili:
nyayo
— signs of a course taken
Swedish:
fotspår
— signs of a course taken
Armenian:
քայլ
(kʻayl)
— sound of a footstep
Bulgarian:
шум от стъпки
(šum ot stǎpki)
— sound of a footstep
Dutch:
voetstap
— sound of a footstep
Estonian:
sammude kõla
— sound of a footstep
Finnish:
askel
— sound of a footstep
French:
pas
— sound of a footstep
French:
bruit de pas
— sound of a footstep
Hungarian:
lépés
— sound of a footstep
Italian:
passo
— sound of a footstep
Northern Kurdish:
pejn
— sound of a footstep
Northern Kurdish:
pêjn
— sound of a footstep
Portuguese:
passo
— sound of a footstep
Russian:
шаг
(šag)
— sound of a footstep
Spanish:
pisada
— sound of a footstep
Spanish:
pisadura
— sound of a footstep
Swedish:
steg
— sound of a footstep
Tooro:
omulindi class 3
— sound of a footstep
Bashkir:
баҫҡыс
(baśqıs)
— step, as in a stair
Bulgarian:
стъпало
(stǎpalo)
— step, as in a stair
Czech:
schod
— step, as in a stair
Dutch:
trede
— step, as in a stair
Dutch:
tree
— step, as in a stair
Finnish:
askelma
— step, as in a stair
French:
marche
— step, as in a stair
Italian:
gradino
— step, as in a stair
Portuguese:
degrau
— step, as in a stair
Russian:
ступе́нька
(stupénʹka)
— step, as in a stair
Spanish:
paso
— step, as in a stair
Spanish:
peldaño
— step, as in a stair
Swedish:
steg
— step, as in a stair
Swedish:
trappsteg
— step, as in a stair
Ottoman Turkish:
باصامق
(basamak)
— step, as in a stair
Ottoman Turkish:
مرتبه
(mertebe)
— step, as in a stair
Ottoman Turkish:
پایه
(paye)
— step, as in a stair
Armenian:
քայլ
(kʻayl)
— distance of one footstep
Bashkir:
аҙым
(aźım)
— distance of one footstep
Bulgarian:
крачка
(kračka)
— distance of one footstep
Czech:
krok
— distance of one footstep
Dutch:
voet
— distance of one footstep
Dutch:
pas
— distance of one footstep
Finnish:
askel
— distance of one footstep
Finnish:
askelmitta
— distance of one footstep
French:
pas
— distance of one footstep
French:
enjambée
— distance of one footstep
German:
Schritt
— distance of one footstep
Italian:
passo
— distance of one footstep
Māori:
āhiki
— distance of one footstep
Portuguese:
passo
— distance of one footstep
Russian:
шаг
(šag)
— distance of one footstep
Spanish:
paso
— distance of one footstep
Swedish:
steg
— distance of one footstep
Ottoman Turkish:
آدیم
(adım)
— distance of one footstep
Armenian:
քայլ
(kʻayl)
— act of taking a step
Bashkir:
атлау
(atlaw)
— act of taking a step
Bulgarian:
крачка
(kračka)
— act of taking a step
Czech:
krok
— act of taking a step
Dutch:
pas
— act of taking a step
Esperanto:
paŝo
— act of taking a step
Finnish:
askel
— act of taking a step
French:
marche
— act of taking a step
Italian:
passo
— act of taking a step
Māori:
āhiki
— act of taking a step
Portuguese:
passo
— act of taking a step
Russian:
шаг
(šag)
— act of taking a step
Swedish:
steg
— act of taking a step
Ottoman Turkish:
آدیم
(adım)
— act of taking a step