backstory

American  

[bak-stawr-ee, ‑-stohr-ee] / ˈbækˌstɔr i, ‑ˌstoʊr i /

Or back story

noun

plural

backstories

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.

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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

Together, we filled in the backstory for a monster movie that would begin in media res, offering no answers of its own.

From Salon • Apr. 12, 2026

Each tree's backstory comes from its appearance - for example, if a tree has a dent, she will imagine how it might have got it.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

A protagonist like Claire—faced with ethical dilemmas and a backstory she’d like to keep secret—is usually surrounded by the guileless and the innocent.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 10, 2026

This seemed rather unsporting among incumbents of the same party and delegation, which is often indicative of a backstory.

From Slate • Feb. 28, 2026

None of this is in the playwright’s script; Courtney is writing a backstory based on what she imagines and what she knows of real life.

From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove