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

Synonyms of historian

• chronicler

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

Just as a historian needs solid sources, testimonies, and documents, fiction requires a living, complex, layered substance. —Literary Hub, 18 Feb. 2026

Olympic historian Bill Mallon points out that Shiffrin’s 12-year gap between Olympic slalom golds is the largest between individual gold medals in the same event at the Winter Games. —Sean Gregory, Time, 18 Feb. 2026

Some historians say Zappas petitioned Greece's King Otto for a revival of the games in 1856 and offered to pay for them. —Ayana Archie, NPR, 18 Feb. 2026

The most striking passages in Picky, a forthcoming book by the historian Helen Zoe Veit, describe the way famous 19th-century American figures ate as children. —Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 17 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for historian

• gregorian
• nestorian
• praetorian
• stentorian
• chorion
• corean
• dorian
• mauryan
• saurian
• pythagorean
• valedictorian

Kids Definition

historian

noun

his·​to·​ri·​an his-ˈtōr-ē-ən 

-ˈtȯr-, 

-ˈtär-

: a student or writer of history