context

noun

con·​text ˈkän-ˌtekst How to pronounce context (audio)
1
: the parts of a discourse that surround a word or passage and can throw light on its meaning
2
: the interrelated conditions in which something exists or occurs : environment, setting
the historical context of the war
contextless adjective
contextual
kän-ˈteks-chə-wəl How to pronounce context (audio)
kən-
-chəl
-chü-əl
adjective
contextually adverb

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Context, in Context

In its earliest uses (documented in the 15th century), context meant "the weaving together of words in language." This sense, now obsolete, developed logically from the word's source in Latin, contexere "to weave or join together." Context now most commonly refers to the environment or setting in which something (whether words or events) exists. When we say that something is contextualized, we mean that it is placed in an appropriate setting, one in which it may be properly considered.

Examples of context in a Sentence

… it was Dickens who first used the word 'detective' in a literary context John Mullan, How Novels Work, 2006
Entrepreneurship and civil freedoms depend on a context of civil order, predictability, and individual security. Susan L. Woodward, Balkan Tragedy, 1995
… the old building, its original acre, inside its high outer wall, was immune to change, out of context and out of time. Harriet Doerr, The Tiger in the Grass, 1995
We need to look at the event within the larger context of world history. The book puts these events in their proper historical and social contexts. We need to consider these events in context.
Recent Examples on the Web There’s further context to those quotes that’s worthy of consideration, too. Nell Frizzell, Vogue, 14 Mar. 2024 While the Times sometimes has a nod to current events in its other games, such as the crossword, there’s more context overall. Saira Mueller, CNN, 14 Mar. 2024 With a few strokes of his pen, Powell wiped this context away, and just like that, the experience of 350 years of slavery and Jim Crow was relegated to one thing: another box to check. Nikole Hannah-Jones, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2024 For context, that’s a roughly 40 percent increase compared to a year prior, according to a new report from the Bozeman Real Estate Group. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 13 Mar. 2024 The hosts delve into the fascinating story of the song, placing it within the context of the nonstop romantic drama that was Fleetwood Mac in the 1970s. Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 13 Mar. 2024 Luckily, there's someone who can provide context, history and culture. Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2024 This inspired us to create a film highlighting the ignorance behind such mistreatment of animals, within the context of an engaging criminal drama. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 12 Mar. 2024 The reaction to Glazer’s speech was swift, although much of the early negative sentiment occurred because some news sites hadn’t fully quoted the British filmmaker, or because his quotes were taken out of context with the rest of his speech. Abid Rahman, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'context.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English contexte "text, composition," borrowed from Medieval Latin contextus "sequence, connection, setting," going back to Latin, "action of weaving, connection, coherence, ordered scheme, structure," from contexere "to weave together, connect (words), compose, combine" (from con- con- + texere "to weave, construct") + -tus, suffix of action nouns — more at technical entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1568, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of context was circa 1568

Dictionary Entries Near context

Cite this Entry

“Context.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/context. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

context

noun
con·​text ˈkän-ˌtekst How to pronounce context (audio)
: the parts of something written or spoken that are near a certain word or group of words and that help to explain its meaning
contextual adjective
contextually
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on context

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