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

Holifield said an accompanying statement from local historian Dorothy Jenkins Fields is also included in the airport exhibit and centers Overtown’s history alongside the country’s 250th anniversary. —Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2026

Over months of reporting, Marcus spoke with dozens of clemency recipients, lawyers, historians, and the consultants offering clients their pardon expertise. —David Remnick, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2026

Lilah Ramzi is a fashion historian and has been an editor at Vogue since 2013. —Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 28 Apr. 2026

Irish nationalists had rebelled against British rule for hundreds of years, but revolution started to become more palatable to the larger public during World War I, according to Sean Farrell, a history professor at Northern Illinois University and 19th century Irish historian. —Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for historian

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

Kids Definition

historian

noun

his·​to·​ri·​an his-ˈtōr-ē-ən 

-ˈtȯr-, 

-ˈtär-

: a student or writer of history