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noun B1 Intermediate Very common

foot

fuut

Foot (noun) means the body part at the end of the leg that a person or animal stands and walks on. Example: “She stubbed her foot on the coffee table.”

noun
1
The body part at the end of the leg that a person or animal stands and walks on.
"She stubbed her foot on the coffee table."
"He tapped his foot impatiently while waiting."
2
A unit of length equal to twelve inches.
"The ceiling is about ten feet high."
3
The lowest or bottom part of something.
"They set up camp at the foot of the mountain."
verb
1
To pay a bill, especially informally (as in "foot the bill").
"His parents ended up footing the bill for the whole trip."

How to use foot

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe body part you stand on, a 12-inch unit of length, the bottom of something, or (as a verb) to pay a bill.

Common mistake

The plural is "feet," not "foots" — except in the unit-of-length sense used adjectivally, e.g. "a six-foot fence."

Common pairings
foot the bill foot of the mountain on foot

Word forms

footed past tense, foots singular

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Test yourself on “foot” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

She stubbed her _____ on the coffee table.

Etymology

From Old English fot, from a very old Indo-European root for "foot" shared across most European languages.

Origin: Old English

base pick foundation infantry groundwork hoof ft pes leg it hoof it foot up fundament

Related words

Rhymes for foot

See all rhymes for foot →

Frequently asked questions

What does “foot” mean?

The word “foot” means the body part at the end of the leg that a person or animal stands and walks on. In plain terms, the body part you stand on, a 12-inch unit of length, the bottom of something, or (as a verb) to pay a bill.

How do you pronounce “foot”?

“Foot” is pronounced fuut ([fʊt̚] in IPA).

How do you use “foot” in a sentence?

Here is “foot” used in a sentence: “She stubbed her foot on the coffee table.”

What part of speech is “foot”?

Depending on how it is used, “foot” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “foot” come from?

The word “foot” comes from Old English. From Old English fot, from a very old Indo-European root for "foot" shared across most European languages.

Is “foot” a common word?

“Foot” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

How many meanings does “foot” have?

“Foot” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the body part at the end of the leg that a person or animal stands and walks on.

What is the plural of 'foot'?

The plural of 'foot' is 'feet' — 'one foot, two feet.' It is an irregular noun, so it does not simply add -s. The same applies to the unit of length: 'six feet tall.' In some compound measurements, though, the singular is kept, as in 'a five-foot fence.'

What are the main parts of the foot?

The foot is usually described in a few parts: the toes at the front, the ball just behind them, the arch that curves along the inner sole, the heel at the back, and the flat underside called the sole. Together these help the body balance, absorb shock, and push off when walking.

How many bones are in the human foot?

Each human foot contains 26 bones, along with 33 joints and dozens of muscles and ligaments. That makes the two feet together home to 52 bones — roughly a quarter of all the bones in the body. This complex structure lets the foot bear weight while staying flexible.

What is the difference between the foot and the ankle?

The foot is the whole structure at the end of the leg that you stand on, from heel to toes. The ankle is the joint just above it, connecting the foot to the lower leg and letting it bend up, down, and side to side. The ankle links the leg and the foot.

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