Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

set dressing

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.15 in modern English

Syllables: set -dress-ing
IPA

13

Scrabble Score

11

Letters

3

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The process of furnishing and decorating a film, TV, or theatre set with all the items that aren't held or used by actors to create a realistic, lived-in environment, and convey character, time period, mood, and story details; distinct from props (items used by actors).

noun

Anything that sits in the background to establish mood and visual context.

Etymology

From set + dressing.

Inflected Forms

set dressings (plural)

Phrases

set dresser

Frequently Paired Words

set dresser scenic design set design

Questions

What does set dressing mean?: The process of furnishing and decorating a film, TV, or theatre set with all the items that aren't held or used by actors to create a realistic, lived-in environment, and convey character, time period, mood, and story details; distinct from props (items used by actors).
Where does set dressing come from?: From set + dressing.

How to pronounce set dressing

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