-.SS bkgrndset
-The \fBbkgrndset\fP and \fBwbkgrndset\fP routines manipulate the
-background of the named window.
-The window background is a \fBcchar_t\fP consisting of
-any combination of attributes (i.e., rendition) and a complex character.
+The
+.I background
+of a
+.I curses
+window
+(in the library's \*(``wide\*('' configuration)
+is a
+.I \%cchar_t
+combining a set of attributes
+(see \fB\%curs_attr\fP(3X))
+with a complex character called the
+.I "blank character."
+.PP
+The blank character is a spacing character that populates a window's
+character cells when their contents are erased without replacement.
+The background's attributes are combined with all non-blank characters
+written to the window,
+as with the \fB\%wadd_wch\fP(3X) and \fB\%wins_wch\fP(3X) families of
+functions.
+.PP
+The blank character and attributes of the background combine with
+characters written to the window as described below.
+The background becomes a property of the character and moves with it
+through any scrolling and insert/delete line/character operations.
+.PP
+To the extent possible on a given terminal,
+the attribute part of the background is displayed as the graphic
+rendition of the character put on the screen.
+.SS "bkgrnd, wbkgrnd"
+\fB\%bkgrnd\fP and \fB\%wbkgrnd\fP set the background property of
+\fB\%stdscr\fP or the specified window and then apply this setting to
+every character cell in that window.