set·ting  (s ĕt ĭng)
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n.1. The position, direction, or way in which something, such as an automatic control, is set. 2. a. The context and environment in which a situation is set; the background. b. The time, place, and circumstances in which a narrative, drama, or film takes place. 3. Music A composition written or arranged to fit a text, such as a poetical work. 4. A mounting, as for a jewel. 5. A place setting. 6. A set of eggs in a hen's nest. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2020 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices
Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:
Indo-European Roots
Semitic Roots
The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.
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