Main Entry: ¹back·ground

Pronunciation: \ˈbak-ˌ(g)rau̇nd\

Function: noun

Usage: often attributive

Date: 1672

1 a : the scenery or ground behind something b : the part of a painting representing what lies behind objects in the foreground
2 : an inconspicuous position
3 a : the conditions that form the setting within which something is experienced b (1) : the circumstances or events antecedent to a phenomenon or development (2) : information essential to understanding of a problem or situation c : the total of a person's experience, knowledge, and education
4 a : intrusive sound or radiation that interferes with received or recorded electronic signals b : a more or less steady level of noise above which the effect (as radioactivity) being measured by an apparatus (as a Geiger counter) is detected; especially : a somewhat steady level of radiation in the natural environment (as from cosmic rays)
5 : a level of computer processing at which the processor uses time not required for a primary task to work on an additional task — compare foreground

— on background : with the understanding that information offered for publication will not be attributed to a specific source <an official speaking on background>

synonyms background, setting, environment, milieu, mise-en-scène mean the place, time, and circumstances in which something occurs. background often refers to the circumstances or events that precede a phenomenon or development <the shocking decision was part of the background of the riots>. setting suggests looking at real-life situations in literary or dramatic terms <a militant reformer who was born into an unlikely social setting>. environment applies to all the external factors that have a formative influence on one's physical, mental, or moral development <the kind of environment that produces juvenile delinquents>. milieu applies especially to the physical and social surroundings of a person or group of persons <an intellectual milieu conducive to artistic experimentation>. mise-en-scène strongly suggests the use of properties to achieve a particular atmosphere or theatrical effect <a gothic thriller with a carefully crafted mise-en-scène>.