English · Word Candidate

context

/ˈkɒn.tɛkst/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: contexts

Sense 1

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

The surroundings, circumstances, environment, background or settings that determine, specify, or clarify the meaning of an event or other occurrence.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Môi trường, hoàn cảnh, bối cảnh xác định ý nghĩa của một sự kiện

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Noun

—In what context did your attack on him happen? —We had a pretty tense relationship at the time, and when he insulted me I snapped.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

The text in which a word or passage appears and which helps ascertain its meaning.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Văn bản giúp xác định ý nghĩa của một từ hoặc đoạn văn

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Noun

Without context, I can't tell if dish refers to a plate, or to the food served thereon.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

What does “context” mean?

The surroundings, circumstances, environment, background or settings that determine, specify, or clarify the meaning of an event or other occurrence.

Is “context” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.