backstory

plural backstories · alternative back-story · alternative back story

1. The previous experiences and life of a person, specifically (narratology, especially in film, television) a character in a dramatic work.

   What’s the backstory of our new colleague?

   4 more examples

   These backstories cast the characters' behavior in a new light: of course Gertrude would promptly marry the man who saved her from abuse; of course Ophelia would be desperate and indiscreet in seeking Hamlet's love.

   2004 January 15, Kelly Kleiman, “Her side of the story [review of Ophelia by Bryony Lavery, performed by the Camenae Ensemble Theatre Company]”, in Chicago Reader, Chicago, Ill.: Chicago Reader, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 26 May 2022

   Inexplicably, and at great risk to the integrity of the movie, the filmmakers have burdened him with a psychological back story pulled out of a folder in some studio filing cabinet. Why does [Willy] Wonka spend his days confecting sweets?

   2005 July 15, A[nthony] O[liver] Scott, “Looking for the candy, finding a back story [review of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)]”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 08 Oct 2023

   Agent Lyla: Enough back story! / Dr. Doofenshmirtz: Actually, that's not, uh … that's not really a back story, it's just expositional flashback. It doesn't, uh, have any childhood trauma, it's doesn't really inform who he is, it's not … it's just flashback. There's a difference. It's subtle, but there's a difference.

   2013 March 1, Kaz [i.e., Kazimieras Gediminas Prapuolenis]; Kim Roberson; Aliki Theofilopoulos Grafft; John Mathot, “Sidetracked”, in Phineas and Ferb, season 4, episode 7, spoken by Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz (Dan Povenmire)

   Prince Harry may yet turn out to be the crown’s best insurance policy. By marrying Meghan Markle, he is linking royalty with a 21st-century celebrity who has a backstory that many people in Britain can identify with.

   2017 December 27, “Editorial: The Guardian view on Prince Harry: the monarchy’s best insurance policy”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 29 Apr 2023

   Synonyms: background story

2. espionageA fictitious account of a person's history designed to conceal their actual history and motives.

   Synonyms: cover story