background

adj. pertaining to a setting, pertaining to a surrounding environment

n. setting; environment in which various actions are performed in addition to the main application being operated by a computer (Computers)

The term background may refer to: In art; Background (art), the part of a scene that appears to be farthest from the viewerBackground lighting, a film techniqueIn computing;Background (computer software), software that is running but not being displayedBackground, or desktop picture, is the image or colour displayed on a website or computer desktop behind the visible contentIn physics;: Background (astronomy), small amounts of light coming from otherwise dark parts of the skyBackground radiation, the natural radiation that is always present in a locationCosmic microwave background radiation, a natural constant radiation emanating throughout the universeBackground independence, a condition in theoretical physics
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Noun
1. a person's social heritage: previous experience or training; "he is a lawyer with a sports background"
(hypernym) inheritance, heritage
2. the part of a scene (or picture) that lies behind objects in the foreground; "he posed her against a background of rolling hills"
(synonym) ground
(hypernym) view, aspect, prospect, scene, vista, panorama
3. information that is essential to understanding a situation or problem; "the embassy filled him in on the background of the incident"
(synonym) background knowledge
(hypernym) information
4. extraneous signals that can be confused with the phenomenon to be observed or measured; "they got a bad connection and could hardly hear one another over the background signals"
(synonym) background signal
(hypernym) noise, interference, disturbance
(hyponym) background noise, ground noise
5. relatively unimportant or inconspicuous accompanying situation; "when the rain came he could hear the sound of thunder in the background"
(hypernym) accompaniment, concomitant, co-occurrence
(derivation) play down, downplay
6. the state of the environment in which a situation exists; "you can't do that in a university setting"
(synonym) setting, scope
(hypernym) environment
(hyponym) canvas, canvass
7. (computer science) the area of the screen in graphical user interfaces against which icons and windows appear
(synonym) desktop, screen background
(hypernym) screen, CRT screen
(classification) computer science, computing
8. scenery hung at back of stage
(synonym) backdrop, backcloth
(hypernym) scenery, scene
Verb
1. understate the importance or quality of; "he played down his royal ancestry"
(synonym) play down, downplay
(antonym) foreground, highlight, spotlight, play up
(hypernym) stress, emphasize, emphasise, punctuate, accent, accentuate
(hyponym) wave off

n. background, setting

(n.)
The space which is behind and subordinate to a portrait or group of figures.
  

(n.)
Ground in the rear or behind, or in the distance, as opposed to the foreground, or the ground in front.
  

(n.)
Anything behind, serving as a foil; as, the statue had a background of red hangings.
  

(n.)
A place in obscurity or retirement, or out of sight.