backstory

From back- (prefix meaning ‘in, into, or towards the past’) +‎ story.^[1][2]

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈbækˌstɔːɹi/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈbækˌstɔɹi/
• Hyphenation: back‧story

backstory (plural backstories)

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

   Synonym: background story

   Coordinate term: exposition

   What’s the backstory of our new colleague?

   • 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^[1], Chicago, Ill.: Chicago Reader, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2022-05-26:

     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.

   • 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^[2], New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2023-10-08:

     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?

   • 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):

     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.

   • 2017 December 27, “Editorial: The Guardian view on Prince Harry: the monarchy’s best insurance policy”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian‎^[3], London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2023-04-29:

     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.

2. (chiefly espionage, law enforcement) A fictitious account of a person's history designed to conceal their actual history and motives.

   Synonym: cover story

3. (Can we verify⁽⁺⁾ this sense?)(film, television) A prequel.

• back-story, back story

•   backstory on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• “backstory, n.”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.