background

The word “background” means the part of a scene or image that lies behind the main subject. In plain terms, the setting behind the main subject in a picture, or a person's history and experience.

“Background” is pronounced BAK-rownd (/ˈbæk(ɡ)ɹaʊnd/ in IPA).

Here is “background” used in a sentence: “You can see the cathedral in the background of the photo.”

The opposite of “background” — its antonyms — are conspicuous, foreground, forestanding, primary and prominent.

Depending on how it is used, “background” can be a noun, an adjective and a verb.

“Background” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.

“Background” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the part of a scene or image that lies behind the main subject.

They are opposites within a scene. The foreground is the part nearest the viewer, where the main subject usually sits. The background is what lies furthest away, behind that subject. In photography and design, keeping the two distinct, with a sharp subject against a softer background, helps the main subject stand out.

Beyond the visual sense, "background" can mean a person's history and circumstances, such as their education, family, or work experience. It can also mean the information and context surrounding an event, as in background reading, or something happening out of focus, as in a process that runs in the background on a computer.

Photographers often blur the background, an effect called bokeh, so the eye settles on the sharp subject. Strong contrast in colour or brightness helps too, as does good lighting and separation between subject and backdrop. In design, a plain or muted background keeps attention on the foreground content.