spoor

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   the tracks, scent, droppings, or other trail left by an animal

   The tracker identified fresh leopard spoor beside the stream.

2. 2
   noun

   a trace or clue by which the progress of someone or something can be followed

   Investigators followed the digital spoor left by the stolen account.

3. 3
   verb

   to track a person or animal by following its spoor

   The guides spoored the wounded antelope across the dry plain.

Borrowed in the early nineteenth century from Afrikaans spoor, from Dutch spoor ("track"). It is cognate with Old English spor ("footprint") and German Spur, from a Germanic root also related to spurn.

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