Meanings
nounbackground music (uncountable)
alternative BGM
- uncountableAny music played in a public space whose main function is to create an atmosphere suitable to a specific occasion, rather than to be listened to.
Synonyms: piped music
- uncountableentertainmentAny music in a film, video game, or other medium that establishes mood and is not meant to be the focus of attention.
Synonyms & antonyms
nounAny music played in a public space whose main function is to create an atmosphere suitable to a specific occasion, rather than to be listened to.
Similar
Also see
Translations
Afrikaans agtergrondmusiek
- agtergrondmusiekmusic played in a public space
Bulgarian фо́нова му́зика
- фо́нова му́зика (fónova múzika)music played in a public space
Catalan música de fons
- música de fonsmusic played in a public space
Chinese Cantonese 背景音樂 /背景音乐, 背景音乐
- 背景音樂 /背景音乐 (bui³ ging² jam¹ ngok⁶)music played in a public space
- 背景音乐 (bui³ ging² jam¹ ngok⁶)music in a film, video game or other medium
Chinese Mandarin 背景音樂 /背景音乐, 背景音
- 背景音樂 /背景音乐 (bèijǐng yīnyuè)music played in a public space
- 背景音 (bèijǐngyīn)music played in a public space
- 背景音樂 /背景音乐 (bèijǐng yīnyuè)music in a film, video game or other medium
- 背景音 (bèijǐngyīn)music in a film, video game or other medium
Finnish taustamusiikki, taustamusiikki
- taustamusiikkimusic played in a public space
- taustamusiikkimusic in a film, video game or other medium
French musique d'ambiance, musique de fond
- musique d'ambiancemusic played in a public space
- musique de fondmusic in a film, video game or other medium
- musique de fossemusic in a film, video game or other medium
German Hintergrundmusik, Kaufhausmusik
- Hintergrundmusikmusic played in a public space
- Kaufhausmusikmusic played in a public space
- Fahrstuhlmusikmusic played in a public space
- Bühnenmusikmusic in a film, video game or other medium
Hungarian háttérzene, kísérőzene
- háttérzenemusic played in a public space
- kísérőzenemusic in a film, video game or other medium
Icelandic bakgrunnstónlist, fylgitónlist
- bakgrunnstónlistmusic played in a public space
- fylgitónlistmusic played in a public space
- bakgrunnstónlistmusic in a film, video game or other medium
Japanese 背景音楽, ＢＧＭ (bījīemu)
- 背景音楽 (haikei ongaku)music played in a public space
- ＢＧＭ (bījīemu)music played in a public space
- バックグラウンドミュージック (bakkuguraundo myūjikku)music played in a public space
- 背景音楽 (haikei ongaku)music in a film, video game or other medium
- ＢＧＭ (bījīemu)music in a film, video game or other medium
- バックグラウンドミュージック (bakkuguraundo myūjikku)music in a film, video game or other medium
Korean 배경음악, 백그라운드 뮤직
- 배경음악 (baegyeong'eumak)music played in a public space
- 백그라운드 뮤직 (baekgeuraundeu myujik)music played in a public space
- 브금 (beugeum)music played in a public space
- 배경음악 (baegyeong'eumak)music in a film, video game or other medium
- 백그라운드 뮤직 (baekgeuraundeu myujik)music in a film, video game or other medium
- 브금 (beugeum)music in a film, video game or other medium
Polish muzak, podkład
- muzakmusic played in a public space
- podkładmusic in a film, video game or other medium
Portuguese música de fundo, música ambiente
- música de fundomusic played in a public space
- música ambientemusic played in a public space
- música de fundomusic in a film, video game or other medium
Romanian muzică de ambianță
- muzică de ambianțămusic played in a public space
Russian фо́новая му́зыка, фо́новая му́зыка
- фо́новая му́зыка (fónovaja múzyka)music played in a public space
- фо́новая му́зыка (fónovaja múzyka)music in a film, video game or other medium
Spanish hilo musical, música fondal
- hilo musicalmusic played in a public space
- música fondalmusic played in a public space
- música de fondomusic played in a public space
Swedish bakgrundsmusik
- bakgrundsmusikmusic played in a public space
Tamil பின்னணி இசை, பின்னணி இசை
- பின்னணி இசை (piṉṉaṇi icai)music played in a public space
- பின்னணி இசை (piṉṉaṇi icai)music in a film, video game or other medium
Cite this entry
APA
background music. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/background%20music
MLA
“background music.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/background%20music. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “background music,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/background%20music.
Source: background music on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.