Small bridges designed for pedestrians to cross over roads, rivers, or valleys on foot.
From Middle English 'foot' (base of leg) + 'bridge' (structure spanning a gap). Compound formed in 16th century to distinguish from bridges for vehicles or horses.
Footbridges appear in nearly every culture—from ancient stone spans in Tibet to modern cable-stayed structures—because humans have always needed safe crossing points without mixing foot traffic with vehicular danger.
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