The marks or impressions left by a foot in walking, or the sound made by someone walking.
From Middle English, compound of 'foot' (Old English fōt) and 'step' (Old English stæpe). The metaphorical sense of 'following in someone's footsteps' emerged in the 16th century, extending the literal meaning to indicate following someone's example or path in life.
The phrase 'following in someone's footsteps' creates a beautiful metaphor where physical tracking becomes emotional and professional inheritance. Interestingly, forensic investigators can determine a person's height, weight, and gait abnormalities just from analyzing footstep patterns and depth.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.