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Glite Dictionary
🎭 A background 💻 A dimmed layer
backdrop

backdrop

86 3.9
A painted cloth or scene at the back of a stage showing where the story happens
  • noun
  • /ˈbækdrɒp/
: telón de fondo
  • The painted backdrop behind the stage created an enchanting atmosphere for the play.
  • serve as a backdrop
  • set against a backdrop
  • provide a backdrop

A Gray backdrop, a brick backdrop, whatever, OK?

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Examples

  • As we see them against the backdrop of the grass and the beautiful Pacific Ocean.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • The recently completed Golden Gate Bridge serves as a backdrop.

    Murder in the First (1995)

  • Look, our backdrop is pretty much ready.

  • Soon this backdrop is going to no longer be white.

  • A fantastic backdrop for your work.

    Celebrity (1998)

  • I wanted to check on the painting of the backdrop for the storm scene.

    The Danish Girl (2015)

  • A family is posed before a painted western backdrop, two boys and their parents.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • This is a backdrop for the Kabuki theater in Japan.

    Basquiat (1996)

  • Cultural diversity is celebrated against a backdrop of a deeper unitive experience.

    Academic text (1992)

  • Montage: Francesca and Robert together against the breathtaking backdrop of the Italian countryside.

    Fiction book (1995)

Synonyms

set
vsbackdrop
601 6.0

The scenery and objects used on a stage or film

is narrower, only a painted rear cloth rather than whole stage arrangements
background
vsbackdrop
165 2.1

The area behind the main subject in a picture, on a stage, or on a screen

is a painted cloth hung at the stage rear rather than any broad scene
scenery
vsbackdrop
  • Specialized
23 3.0

Painted backgrounds and pieces on a stage that show where a play happens

is often a single painted cloth or simple background rather than many structures
stage set
vsbackdrop
4 3.6

The background and objects on a stage that show where and when a play happens

is often a single hanging painted rear cloth rather than the entire arranged scene
setting
vsbackdrop
1 3.0

The scenery and props arranged to show a place in a play or film

is more narrowly the painted rear background rather than the full arrangement
backcloth
vsbackdrop
  • UK
1 8.2

A large cloth that hangs at the back of a stage as scenery

is any background for action rather than only a painted cloth
drop curtain
vsbackdrop
  • Specialized
1 5.1

A large curtain hung above the stage that lowers to make background scenery

is hung at the rear as a fixed scenic background rather than lowered
drop cloth
vsbackdrop
  • Specialized
4.8

A large curtain that people lower from above to make a background on a stage

is hung at the back and stays as a background rather than lowered

How Detailed

scenery
57 1.0
backdrop
86 3.9
background
165 2.1

Surface Forms

backdrop singular
backdrops plural

Morphology

backdrop = back + drop (semi-transparent) = back + drop

While the components 'back' and 'drop' are clear, the specific meaning of a 'painted cloth or scenery' is a specialized use.

Etymology

Backdrop comes from back ('the rear') and drop (a large cloth that 'drops' on a stage), because theatres used a painted cloth hung at the back of the stage. So, a backdrop is the background that sets the scene for the action.