Other forms: backgrounds
The background is the part of a scene furthest away, behind the main subject. In the background, blur the background, a plain background.
In photography and design it is the technical opposite of the foreground. From it come two very common figurative senses. Somebody's background is their family, education and experience: a scientific background, from a similar background. And background information is the context you need before the main point — background reading, background briefing. Note in the background, meaning present but not prominent, and background noise, which is what everything else in the room is doing.
1nounbackgroundThe part of a scene behind the main subject.
“There is a church in the background of every photograph.”
2nounfamilySomebody's family, education and experience.
“She has a background in engineering.”
3nouninformationThe information needed to understand something.
“The first chapter is all background.”
Too few real examples of this word to estimate which sense is commonest.
background is what lies behind.
From back + ground. From back + ground. Compare backstory.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA