footedness
|foot-ed-ness|
/ˈfʊtɪdnəs/
which foot is dominant
Etymology
'footedness' originates from English, specifically from the adjective 'footed' plus the suffix '-ness', where 'foot' (Old English 'fōt') meant 'foot' and the suffix '-ness' meant 'state or quality'.
'footedness' developed from Old English elements: 'fōt' (foot) combined with adjectival '-ed' and the noun-forming suffix '-nes(s)a' in Old English, eventually becoming the modern English 'footedness'.
Initially the components described the state of having a particular kind or number of feet (for example, 'two-footed'), but over time a usage developed referring specifically to habitual use or preference of one foot (i.e., which foot is dominant).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the state or condition of being footed; having a specified number or type of feet (e.g., two-footed, four-footed).
In zoological description, a creature's footedness (two-footed, four-footed) helps classify its locomotion.
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Noun 2
the habitual preference for using one foot rather than the other (analogous to 'handedness'); foot dominance (e.g., being left-footed or right-footed).
His footedness—he kicks better with his left foot—made him valuable on the left wing.
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Last updated: 2025/12/10 18:46