frame of reference

/ˈfreɪm əv ˈref·ər·əns/, /ˈref·rəns/ n [C] (plural frames of reference)

Definition

› a set of ideas or facts that a person accepts and that influences the person’s behavior, opinions, or decisions: The report provided a common frame of reference for discussing public policy. › physics A frame of reference is also a system of lines and clocks that you can use to measure the position and motion of a set of objects and events in relation to each other.

(Definition of frame of reference n from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)