Standard Lemma guide

footstep

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