backstory
Americannoun
-
a narrative providing a history or background context, especially for a character or situation in a literary work, film, or dramatic series.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of backstory
1980–85; back 1 ( def. ) + story 1 ( def. )
Explanation
A backstory is a specific history that led up to the current situation. If your parents come home to find popcorn all over the house and the dog wearing a tutu, they'll probably want to know the backstory. Past events and circumstances that contribute to whatever's happening now can be called the backstory, in real life and also in fiction. Sometimes the backstory is spelled out for you, like a book character's lonely childhood that helps explain their difficulty connecting with people as an adult. Film actors sometimes invent a backstory for their roles, to help them understand why they behave the way they do. Backstory is a shortened version of "background story."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
You don’t need the most expensive bottle on the shelf, nor one that arrives with a romantic backstory about a hillside grove.
From Salon • Jun. 16, 2026
But the backstory Parker provided herself was almost entirely counterfeit.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 12, 2026
Wardex doesn’t even bother to preemptively discredit Daniel in the public’s eye which, given the two sentences of backstory we know about his character, would be easy.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026
Those curious about the backstory of Zeb Orrelios, who first appeared in live-action among other former Rebellion fighters at the Adelphi base in “The Mandalorian” Season 3 Episode 5, should check out “Star Wars Rebels.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026
“Dad, to answer that question would take hours of backstory, and I know that you’re probably very tired, so just go back t—” “In the house,” he thundered.
From "Paper Towns" by John Green
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
