backdrop

American  

[bak-drop] / ˈbækˌdrɒp /

noun

1. especially British, back-cloth.  Theater. the rear curtain of a stage setting.

2. the background of an event; setting.

3. Gymnastics. a maneuver in which a trampolinist jumps in the air, lands on the back with the arms and legs pointed upward, and then springs up to a standing position.

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verb (used with object)

backdropped, backdropt, backdropping

1. to provide a setting or background for.

   A vast mountain range backdrops the broad expanse of lake.

backdrop British  

/ ˈbækˌdrɒp /

noun

1. another name for backcloth

2. the background to any scene or situation

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Usage

What does backdrop mean? Backdrop refers to the background or setting of a situation or event. It can refer to something physically located in the background of something else, such as a backdrop used for a photo shoot. It can also be used figuratively to refer to circumstances that surround an event, as in a backdrop of scandal and accusations of fraud. More specifically, a backdrop is the curtain that hangs at the back of the stage in a theater, as in We have to fix the rips in the backdrop before the big show. Less commonly, backdrop can also be used as a verb to mean providing a background for something, as in The towering trees backdropped the outdoor photo shoot. Example: The film took place against the backdrop of World War II and featured major events from the war.

Etymology

Origin of backdrop

An Americanism dating back to 1910–15; back ¹ + drop

Explanation

A backdrop is the scenery that hangs behind the actors in a play. You might help to paint the backdrop for your school's production of "The Sound of Music." The backdrop is an important part of a theater production, since it provides a setting for a play or sets a mood for a musical performance. If you're watching a local version of "Oliver!" the backdrop might be designed to look like a London street scene, for example. The noun backdrop comes from US theater slang, from a combination of back and drop around 1913.

Example Sentences

The brand’s earnestness feels very L.A., which makes sense: When Backdrop co-founder Natalie Ebel and her family moved to Silver Lake post-pandemic, they brought the brand’s operations and production with them.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 3, 2024

First, she painted it with Modern Love, a “warm, muted pink” by Backdrop.

From Washington Post • May 25, 2021

At home, you relax with a movie on Android TV, and when you turn off the TV, Android is still there, on Chromecast Backdrop, showing you beautiful travel photos or snapshots from a family album.

From Forbes • Jun. 27, 2014

Stark Backdrop as President Prepares to Debate HENDERSON, Nev. — Las Vegas might seem the last place a presidential candidate would choose to spend three days of sober, nose-to-the-grindstone debate preparation.

From New York Times • Oct. 3, 2012

Backdrop to the Kilanga pageant, rising up behind the houses, a tall wall of elephant grass obscures our view of anything but the distance.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver

Related Words

• scenery