Footstep
/ˈfʊt.stɛp/noun
The sound or act of placing one foot in front of the other while walking.
Did you know?Footstep is a straightforward Old English compound, but its deeper roots are ancient: both parts come from Proto-Indo-European words that also gave English foot, pedal, and even pace-related words across Europe.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*pṓds
“foot”
Old English
OE
fōt
“foot”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*stebh-
“to step, tread”
Old English
OE
stęppan
“to step, tread”
Old English
OE
fōtstæpe
“a step made by a foot”
Modern English
English
footstep
“the act or sound of stepping with the foot”