background

1 the physical conditions or features that form the setting against which something is viewed <they got married on a mountain top with the sunset as background> Synonyms backdrop, ground Related Words mise-en-scène, scene, scenery, set, stage; entourage, environment, milieu, setting, surroundings Near Antonyms foreground; center, focal point, focus, heart

2 the place and time in which the action for a portion of a dramatic work (as a movie) is set <the background of that movie is the World War II era> Synonyms scene, locale, settingRelated Words backdrop, scenery, set; mise-en-scène, tableau