setting

American  

[set-ing] / ˈsɛt ɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of a person or thing that sets.

2. the surroundings or environment of anything.

   The garden was a perfect setting for the house.

3. the mounting in which a jewel is set.

4. a group of all the articles, as of china, silver, or glass, required for setting a table or a single place at a table.

5. the locale or period in which the action of a novel, play, film, etc., takes place.

   The setting of this story is Verona in the 15th century.

6. Also called stage setting.  Also called stage set.  the scenery and other properties used in a dramatic performance.

7. Music.

   1. a piece of music composed for certain words.

   2. a piece of music composed for a particular medium, or arranged for other than the original medium.

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setting British  

/ ˈsɛtɪŋ /

noun

1. the surroundings in which something is set; scene

2. the scenery, properties, or background, used to create the location for a stage play, film, etc

3. music a composition consisting of a certain text and music provided or arranged for it

4. the metal mounting and surround of a gem

   diamonds in an antique gold setting

5. the tableware, cutlery, etc, for a single place at table

6. any of a series of points on a scale or dial that can be selected to control the level as of temperature, speed, etc, at which a machine functions

7. a clutch of eggs in a bird's nest, esp a clutch of hen's eggs

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Related Words

See environment.

Other Word Forms

• nonsetting adjective
• unsetting adjective

Etymology

Origin of setting

First recorded in 1375–1425; Middle English; set, -ing ¹

Example Sentences

Because they have relatively few stars and less background radiation, they provide a cleaner setting to search for dark matter signals.

From Science Daily • Apr. 10, 2026

The room, which holds around 70 people, is an intimate setting with burning candles and chandeliers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

Bill is a genius in terms of setting something up in a previous episode so that there’s a payoff in the finale.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

After setting aside their first few thousand dollars for emergencies, experts suggest that people start to simultaneously save for retirement as they finish building up their emergency fund.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 9, 2026

“It’s not serious. It’s the excitement! Who would have thought at ninety-one I’d be setting foot for the first time in the land of our ancestors. Mashallah, mashallah.”

From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar

Related Words

• ambience
• backdrop
• context
• environment
• framework
• locale
• location
• site
• surroundings