footage
ˈfʊtɪdʒ
noun
Origin
English
foot + -age — measure of length in feet
Overview
Meaning Now
- A length of motion picture film, particularly a specific sequence or raw material.
- The measurement or aggregate length of something expressed in feet.
Literal older meaning
the measure of a thing in feet
Language path
Old English → Middle English → English
Earliest form
footage
Earliest period
19th century
Journey
The term originally referred to the physical measurement of materials like lumber or carpets in feet. With the advent of cinema, it was applied to the length of celluloid film stock, as film was historically sold and spliced by the foot.
Evolution
- Old English
fōt
“the lower extremity of the leg”
Root noun for foot.
- Middle English
fote
“foot”
- Late 19th Century
footage
“total length in feet”
Transition from general measurement to cinematic application.
Connections
Word parts
foot
root
a unit of length
age
suffix
collection or aggregate
Related across languages
German
Fuß
foot
Dutch
voet
foot
Explore next
Related to footage
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.