historian
noun
his·to·ri·an
hi-ˈstȯr-ē-ən 
-ˈstär-
1
: a student or writer of history
especially
: one who produces a scholarly synthesis
2
: a writer or compiler of a chronicle
Examples of historian in a Sentence
historians are still trying to sort out fact from fiction in the story of Kateri Tekakwitha, the Lily of the Mohawks
Recent Examples on the Web
But historians never really discussed it along with all of the great revolutions of history before C.L.R. James.
—
Diya Chacko, Orange County Register, 11 Apr. 2024
Made by History takes readers beyond the headlines with articles written and edited by professional historians.
—TIME, 11 Apr. 2024
The trailer features clips from interviews with original band members, rock and roll historian Josh Kun, music star Janelle Monáe and more.
—Selena Kuznikov, Variety, 9 Apr. 2024
For many years, historians had assumed that tattooing was the only form of body modification used by Scandinavians in the Viking Age.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Apr. 2024
After Bessel, many nations had the global, imperial reach to chase down those shadows, said Deborah Kent, a math historian at the University of St. Andrews.
—Joshua Sokol, Quanta Magazine, 5 Apr. 2024
An estimated 300 Black residents were killed and thousands were left homeless after the Tulsa massacre, according to historians.
—Steve Osunsami, ABC News, 2 Apr. 2024
In the 1960s, the actor and art historian Vincent Price was involved with art sales at Sears, and in Minneapolis at that time, the Dayton’s department store (which created Target) had a gallery with material by leading artists, some via the famed New York dealer Leo Castelli.
—Andrew Russeth, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2024
Some historians have introduced further distinctions without introducing further clarity.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2024
Diya Chacko, Orange County Register, 11 Apr. 2024
Made by History takes readers beyond the headlines with articles written and edited by professional historians.
—TIME, 11 Apr. 2024
The trailer features clips from interviews with original band members, rock and roll historian Josh Kun, music star Janelle Monáe and more.
—Selena Kuznikov, Variety, 9 Apr. 2024
For many years, historians had assumed that tattooing was the only form of body modification used by Scandinavians in the Viking Age.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Apr. 2024
After Bessel, many nations had the global, imperial reach to chase down those shadows, said Deborah Kent, a math historian at the University of St. Andrews.
—Joshua Sokol, Quanta Magazine, 5 Apr. 2024
An estimated 300 Black residents were killed and thousands were left homeless after the Tulsa massacre, according to historians.
—Steve Osunsami, ABC News, 2 Apr. 2024
In the 1960s, the actor and art historian Vincent Price was involved with art sales at Sears, and in Minneapolis at that time, the Dayton’s department store (which created Target) had a gallery with material by leading artists, some via the famed New York dealer Leo Castelli.
—Andrew Russeth, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2024
Some historians have introduced further distinctions without introducing further clarity.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'historian.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of historian was
in the 15th century
Dictionary Entries Near historian
Cite this Entry
“Historian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/historian. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
historian
noun
his·to·ri·an
his-ˈtōr-ē-ən
-ˈtȯr-,
-ˈtär-
: a student or writer of history
More from Merriam-Webster on historian
Nglish: Translation of historian for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of historian for Arabic Speakers
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