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Background vs Wallpaper - What's the difference?

background | wallpaper |

As nouns the difference between background and wallpaper

is that background is one's social heritage; what one did in the past/previously while wallpaper is decorative paper-like material used to cover the inner walls of buildings.

As verbs the difference between background and wallpaper

is that background is to put in a position that is not prominent while wallpaper is to cover (a wall, a room, etc) with wallpaper.

background

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • One's social heritage; what one did in the past/previously.
  • A part of the picture that depicts scenery to the rear or behind the main subject; context.
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  • Information relevant to the current situation about past events; history.
  • A less important feature of scenery (as opposed to foreground).
  • (computing) The image or color, over which a computer's desktop items are shown (e.g. icons or application windows).
  • (computing) Activity on a computer that is not normally visible to the user.
  • Derived terms

    * on background * background fodder

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To put in a position that is not prominent
  • wallpaper

    Noun

  • (uncountable) Decorative paper-like material used to cover the inner walls of buildings.
  • (countable) A style or design of such material.
  • He is letting her select the wallpapers for the whole house.
  • (computing, Microsoft Windows) An image or tiled pattern used as a background to personalize a computer desktop.
  • Synonyms

    *

    Derived terms

    * ingrain wallpaper * woodchip wallpaper

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To cover (a wall, a room, etc ) with wallpaper.
  • Synonyms

    * (cover with wallpaper) paper