Definition of setting noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary



    BrE BrE//ˈsetɪŋ//
    ; NAmE NAmE//ˈsetɪŋ//
    Elements of a play, At the dining table, Elements of a story
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  1. 1a set of surroundings; the place at which something happens a rural/an ideal/a beautiful/an idyllic, etc. setting It was the perfect setting for a wonderful Christmas. People tend to behave differently in different social settings. Synonymsenvironmentsetting surroundings backgroundThese are all words for the type of place in which somebody/​something exists or is situated.environment the conditions in a place that affect the behaviour and development of somebody/​something:An unhappy home environment can affect children’s behaviour. a pleasant working environmentsetting a place or situation of a particular type, in which something happens or exists:The island provided an idyllic setting for the concert.surroundings everything that is around or near somebody/​something:The huts blend in perfectly with their surroundings.background the things or area behind or around the main objects or people that are in a place or picture:The mountains in the background were capped with snow.Patterns in (a/​an) environment/​setting/​surroundings (a/​an) new/​unfamiliar environment/​setting/​surroundings somebody/​something’s immediate environment/​surroundings (a) dramatic setting/​background
  2. 2the place and time at which the action of a play, novel, etc. takes place short stories with a contemporary setting See related entries: Elements of a play, Elements of a story
  3. 3a position at which the controls on a machine can be set, to set the speed, height, temperature, etc. The performance of the engine was tested at different settings.
  4. 4settings [plural] the place on a computer or other electronic device where you can choose the way that it works or looks; the particular choices that you make To change the size of the font, go to Settings.
  5. 5 (music) music written to go with a poem, etc. Schubert’s setting of a poem by Goethe
  6. 6a piece of metal in which a precious stone is fixed to form a piece of jewellery a ruby in a heavy gold setting
  7. 7a complete set of equipment for eating with (knife, fork, spoon, glass, etc.) for one person, arranged on a table a place setting See related entries: At the dining table
  8. Extra examples The French Club offers the chance to improve your language skills in a social setting. The hospital is an unlikely setting for an art auction. The oven should be at a high setting. The park provides the perfect setting for the play. The site creates a dramatic setting for the new building. a dramatic setting in Cornwall a hotel in a beautiful mountain setting a hotel in a beautiful setting of landscaped gardens a lovely setting for a picnic biblical stories in a contemporary setting elderly people living in a domestic setting the perfect setting for a picnic the rural setting of Petrarch’s sonnets the urban setting of Manhattan wild animals in their natural setting A pub was an unliklely setting for a royal reception. It is the first story she has written with a contemporary setting. It was the perfect setting for a wonderful celebration. People behave differently in different social settings. Such problems are best worked out within a family setting. The island provided an idyllic setting for the concert. The writer fails to place the events in their wider political setting.
See the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary entry: setting