Background Meaning
/ˈbæk(ɡ)ɹaʊnd/Definition, CEFR level A2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjLess important or less noticeable in a scene or system.
nounOne's social heritage, or previous life; what one did in the past.
Sentence Examples
Pay will be based on experience and educational background.
Let's get a picture of us with the sea in the background.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
CEFR Practice Quiz
The detective carefully checked the criminal's ____ for any prior offenses.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
She has a strong ____ in computer science and software engineering.
Word Origin & History
From back + ground. Compare backstory.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Earless ghost swift moths become “invisible” to echolocating bats by forming mating clusters close[…]above vegetation and effectively blending into the clutter of echoes that the bat receives from the leaves and stems around them. Many insects probably use this strategy, which is a close analogy to crypsis in the visible world — camouflage and other methods for blending into one’s visual background."
— 2013 May-June, William E. Conner, “An Acoustic Arms Race”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3, archived from the original on 06 Mar 2016, pages 206–207:
"Ha! I see Venus’ transit now;—lo! a new planet there;—and behind all, an infinite starry nebulousness, as if thy being were backgrounded by some spangled vail of mystery."
— 1852, Herman Melville, Pierre; or The Ambiguities:
"One aspect of the story that appears interesting is that the alleged rapist and victim are only referred to by name together in the same sentence once. In all the other sentences, one receives more focus, while the other is backgrounded."
— 2006, Paul Baker, Using Corpora in Discourse Analysis, page 163:
Explore More A2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The detective carefully checked the criminal's ____ for any prior offenses.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
She has a strong ____ in computer science and software engineering.