footnote

1 of 2

noun

foot·​note ˈfu̇t-ˌnōt 

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

b

: commentary sense 3a

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

Royal Enfield became an institution in India – and a historical footnote pretty much everywhere else. —New Atlas, 30 Nov. 2024

Despite producing at least two canonical entries to hip-hop’s Golden Age – Black Moon’s Enta da Stage and Smif-n-Wessun’s Dah Shinin’ — Da Beatminerz have often felt, unfairly, like a footnote to that celebrated era. —Spin Team, SPIN, 28 Nov. 2024

Verb

The research of others, although abundantly and generously cited, too often seems to footnote Pinker's own prior assumptions. —Timothy Snyder, Foreign Affairs, 18 Dec. 2011

But, no, weirdly enough, the ‘80s aspect of this movie was less about referencing or footnoting things than getting the story right for me. —David Fear, Rolling Stone, 8 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1711, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1864, in the meaning defined above

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