historian

noun

his·​to·​ri·​an hi-ˈstȯr-ē-ən How to pronounce historian (audio)
-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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The British military historian John Keegan revealed the hazards of this kind of planning in his anatomy of the Schlieffen Plan, the German strategy for fighting a two-front continental war that was devised, in 1905, by the chief of the army’s general staff, Alfred von Schlieffen. Elizabeth D. Samet, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2025 Pike, who was a Freemason and was pardoned by President Andrew Johnson, has also been identified by historians as possibly having been involved with the development of the Ku Klux Klan in the period after the Civil War. NPR, 28 Oct. 2025 No aspiring historian could wish for more. Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025 Made by History takes readers beyond the headlines with articles written and edited by professional historians. Time, 28 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for historian

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Historian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/historian. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

historian

noun
his·​to·​ri·​an his-ˈtōr-ē-ən How to pronounce historian (audio)
-ˈtȯr-,
-ˈtär-
: a student or writer of history

More from Merriam-Webster on historian

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!