Word
footer
Phoneticsfoot·er, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈfʊtɝ/
UK/fˈʊtɐ/
Definitions
01bottom of a page
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Computing
n. a small area at the bottom of a document page that shows things like page numbers or the date.
n. a dedicated area at the bottom margin of a printed or digital page, typically containing metadata such as pagination, dates, or copyright notices.
“You can add your name and the date to the footer of every page in the report.”
“The corporate style guide requires the company logo and legal disclaimer to appear in the footer of all external documents.”
Usage
Usually countable; often contrasted with 'header'.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02measurement in feet
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. used in words that describe how many feet long or tall something is.
n. used in combination with a number to denote an object's length, height, or depth in feet.
“He bought a ten-footer boat for fishing in the small lake.”
“The storm surge was so powerful that it easily cleared the five-footer sea wall protecting the coastal properties.”
Usage
Always used in compounds with a number, such as 'six-footer'.
03football
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Sports British English · Slang · Informal
n. a casual way to say football or soccer.
n. a slang term for association football or the ball itself.
“Do you want to go to the park for a game of footer after school?”
“The local kids were always out on the green playing footer until the streetlights came on.”
Teaching tip
This is a very informal Britishism; learners should use 'football' in any standard or professional context.
04to waste time
C2 · Proficiency Dialect · Informal
v. to spend time doing small, unimportant things without finishing anything.
v. to occupy oneself with trivial tasks or to move things around aimlessly without achieving a result.
“Stop footering about with those papers and help me move the table.”
“He spent the entire afternoon footering with the engine, but he still couldn't get the car to start.”
Usage
Often used with the particle 'about' or 'around'.
Teaching tip
Primarily heard in Scotland and Ireland; most English speakers would use 'faff about' or 'mess around' instead.
Real-World Examples
“Jarrad Branthwaite could be the key physical centre-back and as a left footer will bring balance to the defence but this pick could also go to Levi Colwill.” Etymology
From Middle English footer, equivalent to foot + -er.
From football + -er (“Oxford -er”).
18th century. From fouter, foutre (“valueless thing”), possibly from French foutre (“to lecher”), from Latin futuere (“to fuck”). Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰew- (“to hit”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/footer