foreground

Meanings

Noun

• The elements of an image which lie closest to the picture plane.
• The subject of an image, often depicted at the bottom in a two-dimensional work.
• The application the user is currently interacting with; the application window that appears in front of all others.

Verb

• To place in the foreground (physically or metaphorically).

Origin

• From fore- + ground. Compare Dutch voorgrond ("foreground"), German Vordergrund ("foreground"), Danish forgrund ("foreground"), Swedish förgrund ("foreground"), Norwegian forgrunn ("foreground"), Icelandic forgrunni ("foreground").