footnote

1 of 2

noun

foot·​note ˈfu̇t-ˌnōt How to pronounce footnote (audio)
1
: a note of reference, explanation, or comment usually placed below the text on a printed page
2
a
: one that is a relatively subordinate or minor part (as of an event, work, or field)
a movement now regarded as a footnote to architectural history

footnote

2 of 2

verb

footnoted; footnoting; footnotes

transitive verb

: to furnish with a footnote : annotate

Examples of footnote in a Sentence

Noun a movement now regarded as a footnote to history
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Likewise, Edith Jones, a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, sent a message in a footnote in a 2022 opinion. Jeffrey Toobin, The New York Review of Books, 15 Feb. 2024 While color often gets top play in the news, what’s happening in textile design usually is celebrated as part of the story of a room’s interior, sometimes the footnote to a fashion collection. Charlotte Observer, 1 Feb. 2024 The heated Phoenix-Dallas rivalry added another footnote early in the first between Kevin Durant (six points, two assists, one steal), Jusuf Nurkic (two points, three rebounds, two assists) and Williams. Dana Scott, The Arizona Republic, 26 Jan. 2024 In the original game, Zack is a minor character who serves as a footnote. Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 22 Feb. 2024 With state officials and courts making decisions about Trump’s eligibility to be on ballots this year, given his incitement of the mob attack on the U.S. Capitol three years ago this week, here’s a contextual footnote from Spring Hill Cemetery, on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Dan Rodricks, Baltimore Sun, 2 Jan. 2024 Cambridge Properties Holding booked a revaluation gain of £282 million by the end of 2022, months after completing the purchase of Selfridges from the Weston Family, according to a footnote to the financial accounts. Libby Cherry, Fortune Europe, 29 Dec. 2023 Despite his remarkable résumé, though, his role in the civil rights movement has often been treated as a footnote in the stories of other men. Los Angeles Times Staff, Los Angeles Times, 8 Dec. 2023 In a footnote, the panel stressed that its decision did not address the separate question of whether state prosecutors could charge a former president over official actions. Charlie Savage, New York Times, 6 Feb. 2024
Verb
Mere footnotes at the bottom of Brady’s pigskin curriculum vitae. Ben Volin, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Sep. 2023 Forgotten footnotes in the annals of sports history. Men's Health Editorial, Men's Health, 14 Aug. 2023 It’s not generally expected to footnote its references or adopt the citational rigor of nonfiction. Sophia Nguyen, Washington Post, 22 Mar. 2023 Increasingly art schools, including Central Saint Martins and the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), are teaching students to effectively footnote their mood boards. Vanessa Friedman, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2022 His argument is sophisticated and footnoted, but jargon-free and illustrated in a way that helps even readers with no economic training to follow it. The Economist, 12 Dec. 2019 That makes much of the display feel less like rewriting history than simply footnoting more thoroughly. BostonGlobe.com, 18 Oct. 2019 Each section comes heavily footnoted, indicating the appearance of traditional folk tale motifs — taboos, odd coincidences. Parul Sehgal, New York Times, 29 Oct. 2019 For instance, a recent booking at a local beach resort hotel was footnoted in the small print as having a $50-a-night fee for any vehicle brought to the property. Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'footnote.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1711, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1864, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of footnote was in 1711

Dictionary Entries Near footnote

Cite this Entry

“Footnote.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/footnote. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

footnote

noun
foot·​note
-ˌnōt
: a note of reference, explanation, or comment usually placed below the text on a printed page
footnote verb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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