historical

adjective

his·​tor·​i·​cal hi-ˈstȯr-i-kəl How to pronounce historical (audio)
-ˈstär-
1
a
: of, relating to, or having the character of history
historical data
b
: based on history
historical novels
c
: used in the past and reproduced in historical presentations
2
: famous in history : historic sense a
3
b
: diachronic
historical grammar
historicalness noun

Did you know?

historic or historical?

Do you experience a slight pause before using either of these words as you try to remember which one is correct and whether it should be preceded by an or a? If so, you’re not alone, for many people find this pair particularly tricky. Historic and historical are both occasionally found preceded by an, since the initial h in each word was formerly left unpronounced. Now this h is heard, and a is far more common than an (by a ratio of about 4 to 1 in American English).

Historic and historical have been used interchangeably by many writers, even in recent years. If you would like to avoid being corrected, however, use historical for matters relating to history (the historical society), and historic to refer to things having great and lasting importance (a historic occasion).

Examples of historical in a Sentence

He strove for historical accuracy in the movie. The kings are listed in historical order.
Recent Examples on the Web But now that he’s made a historical epic that became a smash box-office hit, all is forgiven. David Sims, The Atlantic, 7 Mar. 2024 Spain’s cultural and historical heritage and its diverse natural landscapes, from Moorish castles and royal palaces to snowy peaks, vast deserts and rugged coastlines, have made the country a prime location for international films and series. Ed Meza, Variety, 7 Mar. 2024 Shogun is the second screen adaptation of James Clavell’s 1975 best-selling historical novel of the same name, following the popular 1980 TV miniseries produced by Paramount, starring Richard Chamberlain and Toshiro Mifune. Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Mar. 2024 Blood of My Blood will be a prequel series to the beloved historical drama, following the parents of Jamie (Sam Heughan) and Claire (Caitriona Balfe) and their respective love stories in both 18th-century Scotland and World War I-era England. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 7 Mar. 2024 In 1974, concerned citizens rallied and organized a group that was committed to preserving its architectural and historical significance. Steven Satterfield, Southern Living, 6 Mar. 2024 The Grammy Hall of Fame was established in 1973 to honor recordings of lasting qualitative or historical significance that were released prior to the advent of the Grammy Awards in 1958. Paul Grein, Billboard, 5 Mar. 2024 Each watch was developed at least 30 years ago and exemplifies technical innovation, exceptional design, rare materials, historical significance, notable ownership or provenance, exquisite craftsmanship, and rarity. Cait Bazemore, Robb Report, 4 Mar. 2024 This is a great opportunity to work at a historical institution that has produced a number of successful alums in many different professions across the board. Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 25 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'historical.' 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 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of historical was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near historical

Cite this Entry

“Historical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/historical. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

historical

adjective
his·​tor·​i·​cal his-ˈtȯr-i-kəl How to pronounce historical (audio)
-ˈtär-
1
a
: of, relating to, or having the character of history
historical fact
b
: based on history
historical novels
c
: of, relating to, or exhibiting objects from the past
a historical museum
2
historically
-i-k(ə-)lē
adverb
historicalness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on historical

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!