backstory

or back sto·ry

[ bak-stawr-ee, ‑-stohr-ee ]

noun

, plural back·sto·ries.

1. a narrative providing a history or background context, especially for a character or situation in a literary work, film, or dramatic series.
2. prequel.

Word History and Origins

Origin of backstory¹

1980–85; back ¹( def ) + story ¹( def )

Example Sentences

It’s a crime seemingly unbefitting of a gentleman thief until we get the backstory of the woman’s treasures, which include a rare Fabergé egg.

From Washington Post

Penelope has a backstory befitting a high-society gossip columnist — after all, her nickname is literally Pen.

From Washington Post

Although we don’t get much backstory on Kylie’s relationship with her mom and stepdad, the tension they greet each other with upon her return home lingers for most of the movie.

From Vox

All of this backstory makes Citizen Kane look like a needling act of revenge, and a profoundly surgical one, calculated to dissect Hearst’s greatest weaknesses on a big screen for everyone to see.

From Vox

When she was 10, she landed on a radio show run by Cas Walker, a raccoon hunter-turned-grocery store magnate, because everyone in the Dollyverse has a colorful backstory.

From Washington Post

We spent a lot of time creating a backstory for our “Man” played by David Logan Rankin.

From The Daily Beast

If this sounds a lot like the Abu Nazir backstory, well, it should.

From The Daily Beast

We are left with stalwart genres (action, rom com) and classic roles (prude, seductress, jock, backstory-less best friend).

From The Daily Beast

A dial-in audio guide (888-763-8839) gives you the backstory behind the bizarre displays.

From The Daily Beast

I was wondering if you had constructed some kind of backstory for him.

From The Daily Beast