context

Etymology

From Latin contextus.

noun

1. The surroundings, circumstances, environment, background or settings that determine, specify, or clarify the meaning of an event or other occurrence.
   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.
   The display and result must be placed in the context that was it was against a side that looked every bit their Fifa world ranking of 141 - but England completed the job with efficiency to record their biggest away win in 19 years. September 7, 2012, Phil McNulty, “Moldova 0-5 England”, in BBC Sport
2. (linguistics) The text in which a word or passage appears and which helps ascertain its meaning.
   Without any context, I can't tell you if the "dish" refers to the food, or the thing you eat it on.
3. (archaeology) The surroundings and environment in which an artifact is found and which may provide important clues about the artifact's function and/or cultural meaning.
4. (mycology) The trama or flesh of a mushroom.
5. (logic) For a formula: a finite set of variables, which set contains all the free variables in the given formula.

verb

1. (obsolete) To knit or bind together; to unite closely.
   The whole worlds frame, which is contexted onely by commerce and contracts. 1638, Richard Younge, The Drunkard's Character: Or, a True Drunkard with Such Sinnes as Raigne in Him
   If the Subiect bee Historie, or contexted Fable, then I hold it better put in Prose, or Blanks: for ordinarie discourse neuer shewes so well in Meeter

adj

1. (obsolete) Knit or woven together; close; firm.
   1541?, Robert Copland (translator?), Guydon's Questionary Chirurgical, translation of 1533, Guy de Chauliac, La questionaire des cirugiens at barbiers The skynne is composed & context and woven with thredes and vaynes.
   And though he could describe how such a string may be context, yet our Explication will have this advantage in point of probability above his, ... 1662, Robert Boyle, New Experiments Physico-mechanical, Touching the Spring of the Air, and its Effects, page 73
   the coats, without, are context and callous, firm and strong. 1711-12, William Derham, Physico-theology: Or, A Demonstration of the Being and Attributes of God, from His Works of Creation (3rd edition, corrected, 1714, page 110)