carbon footprint

noun

: the amount of greenhouse gases and specifically carbon dioxide emitted by something (such as a person's activities or a product's manufacture and transport) during a given period

Examples of carbon footprint in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The study found that on the supply side, the carbon footprint of an individual battery could be reduced by about 34 percent by 2050. — Muskan Bhatia, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2026 Hamilton urged his parishioners to find ways to minimize their carbon footprint. — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 20 Oct. 2026 The Lycra Company’s renewable Lycra® fiber incorporates corn, potentially reducing the carbon footprint of the fibers by as much as 45 percent. — Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 20 Oct. 2026 This type of aquaculture also has a low carbon footprint and the shells function as a form of carbon capture, according to a 2020 paper by the scientific journal Nature Food. — Ian Urbina, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for carbon footprint

Word History

First Known Use

1999, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of carbon footprint was in 1999

Rhymes for carbon footprint

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Browse Nearby Words

carbon flame
carbon footprint
carboni-
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Cite this Entry

“Carbon footprint.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carbon%20footprint. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

carbon footprint

noun
: the amount of greenhouse gases and especially carbon dioxide given off by something (as a person's activities or a product's manufacture and transport) during a given period
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