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Background vs Heritage - What's the difference?

background | heritage |

As nouns the difference between background and heritage

is that background is one's social heritage; what one did in the past/previously while heritage is an inheritance; property that may be inherited.

As a verb background

is to put in a position that is not prominent.

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.
  • * {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=May-June, author= William E. Conner
    • , title= An Acoustic Arms Race , volume=101, issue=3, page=206-7, magazine=(American Scientist) , passage=Earless ghost swift moths become “invisible” to echolocating bats by forming mating clusters close
  • 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

    • heritage

    English

    Alternative forms

    * (archaic)

    Noun

    (en-noun)
  • An inheritance; property that may be inherited.
  • A tradition; something that can be passed down from preceding generations.
  • A birthright; the status acquired by birth, especially of but not exclusive to the firstborn.
  • (attributive) Having a certain background, such as growing up with a second language.
    • The university requires heritage''' Spanish students to enroll in a specially designed Spanish program not available to non-'''heritage students.