What does setting mean?

Definitions for setting
ˈsɛt ɪŋset·ting

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word setting.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. setting, scenenoun

    the context and environment in which something is set

    "the perfect setting for a ghost story"

  2. setting, background, scopenoun

    the state of the environment in which a situation exists

    "you can't do that in a university setting"

  3. mise en scene, stage setting, settingnoun

    arrangement of scenery and properties to represent the place where a play or movie is enacted

  4. context, circumstance, settingnoun

    the set of facts or circumstances that surround a situation or event

    "the historical context"

  5. settingnoun

    the physical position of something

    "he changed the setting on the thermostat"

  6. place setting, settingnoun

    a table service for one person

    "a place setting of sterling flatware"

  7. mount, settingnoun

    a mounting consisting of a piece of metal (as in a ring or other jewelry) that holds a gem in place

    "the diamond was in a plain gold mount"

GCIDE

  1. Settingnoun

    the time, place, and circumstances in which an event (real or fictional) occurs; as, the setting of a novel.

Wiktionary

  1. settingnoun

    The time, place and circumstance in which something (such as a story or picture) is set; context; scenario.

  2. settingnoun

    A piece of metal in which a precious stone or gem is fixed to form a piece of jewelry.

  3. settingnoun

    A standard level or placement that a knob or control is placed at, for example, the volume setting on a television.

  4. settingadjective

    that disappears below the horizon

ChatGPT

  1. setting

    Setting refers to the time, place, and social environment in which a story or event takes place. It includes elements such as the physical location, geographical and historical context, cultural surroundings, and atmosphere or mood. The setting helps to establish the background and context for the narrative or situation, shaping the characters' experiences and actions. It plays a crucial role in storytelling by providing a framework for readers or viewers to immerse themselves in the fictional world created by the author or creator.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Setting

    of Set

  2. Settingnoun

    the act of one who, or that which, sets; as, the setting of type, or of gems; the setting of the sun; the setting (hardening) of moist plaster of Paris; the setting (set) of a current

  3. Settingnoun

    the act of marking the position of game, as a setter does; also, hunting with a setter

  4. Settingnoun

    something set in, or inserted

  5. Settingnoun

    that in which something, as a gem, is set; as, the gold setting of a jeweled pin

Wikidata

  1. Setting

    In works of narrative, the literary element setting includes the historical moment in time and geographic location in which a story takes place, and helps initiate the main backdrop and mood for a story. Setting has been referred to as story world or milieu to include a context beyond the immediate surroundings of the story. Elements of setting may include culture, historical period, geography, and hour. Along with the plot, character, theme, and style, setting is considered one of the fundamental components of fiction.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Setting

    set′ing, n. act of setting: direction of a current of wind: the hardening of plaster: that which holds, as the mounting of a jewel: the mounting of a play, &c., for the stage: act of adapting to music.

Dictionary of Nautical Terms

  1. setting

    The operation of moving a boat or raft by means of poles. Also, arranging the sights of a gun, or pointing it.

Editors Contribution

  1. setting

    A specific type of environment.

    We love to eat dinner outdoors with family, the setting is inclusive, harmonious and balanced.


    Submitted by MaryC on April 19, 2020  


  2. setting

    List of functions or choices on an app, computer, laptop, server, network, form of technology, handheld device, appliance or other type of device.

    The computer settings are easy to change.


    Submitted by MaryC on February 26, 2020  

Surnames Frequency by Census Records

  1. SETTING

    According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Setting is ranked #102688 in terms of the most common surnames in America.

    The Setting surname appeared 175 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 would have the surname Setting.

    93.7% or 164 total occurrences were White.
    3.4% or 6 total occurrences were of Hispanic origin.

British National Corpus

  1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'setting' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #2351

  2. Written Corpus Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'setting' in Written Corpus Frequency: #2403

  3. Nouns Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'setting' in Nouns Frequency: #1107

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

How to pronounce setting?

How to say setting in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of setting in Chaldean Numerology is: 7

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of setting in Pythagorean Numerology is: 4

Examples of setting in a Sentence

  1. David Wilezol:

    The best thing Associated Press -RRB- Biden said tonight was Associated Press -RRB- Biden call to fund the police — an act of leadership to help stop left-wing radicals in his own party from setting policing policies, and on the foreign policy front, Associated Press -RRB- Biden sounded appropriately tough as the commander-in-chief and genuinely sympathetic to the plight of Ukrainians who are fighting for their lives. But that wo n’t make up for the Administration’s posture of weakness which helped provoke Vladimir Putin’s invasion.

  2. Anna Liss:

    It’s not appropriate, really, in any setting.

  3. Bill Hagerty:

    This is a national crisis, and DHS’s decision to involve the radical immigration views of an organization like CWS in the CMPP is outrageous and further underscores this Administration’s commitment to its open borders agenda. it is outrageous that after dismantling commonsense border security measures and unleashing a record-setting border crisis, Secretary Mayorkas has hired an organization that has openly called for the abolition of ICE—one of his own agencies.

  4. Bern Elliot:

    When new generations of technologies come along, they’re often not particularly visible because they haven’t matured enough to the point where you can do something with them, when they are more mature, you start to see them over time — whether it’s in an industrial setting or behind the scenes — but when it’s directly accessible to people, like with ChatGPT, that’s when there is more public interest, fast.

  5. William Wordsworth:

    Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting. The soul that rises with us, our life's star, hath had elsewhere its setting, and comet from afar: not in entire forgetfulness, and not in utter nakedness, but trailing clouds of glory do we come from God, who is our home.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

setting#1#1775#10000

Translations for setting

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

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"setting." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2025. Web. 23 Jan. 2025. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/setting>.

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