[back.ground] n, often attrib (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; esp: a somewhat steady level of radiation in the natural environment (as from cosmic rays) syn background, setting, environment, milieu, mise-en-scene 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 esp. to the physical and social surroundings of a person or group of persons "an intellectual milieu conducive to artistic experimentation". mise-en-scene strongly suggests the use of properties to achieve a particular atmosphere or theatrical effect "a gothic thriller with a carefully crafted mise-en-scene".
[2]background vt (1768): to provide with background