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.
His body was taken to Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati where his maternal grandparents are buried, Spring Grove historian Phil Nuxhall told The Enquirer in 2014. Jeff Suess, The Enquirer, 10 July 2025 And the same disregard for humanity is now being applied to detainees who will be housed in the detention center, historian Marvin Dunn told the Miami Herald. Miami Herald, 10 July 2025 In this lecture, legal historian Mary Ziegler argues that overturning Roe v. Wade was never the final goal of the antiabortion movement. David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 July 2025 From 2015 to 2020, Caro Verbeek, an art historian, offered a tour of the Rijksmuseum during which visitors were invited to experience odors suggested by a number of works, including a giant historical painting depicting the Battle of Waterloo. Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 10 July 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 15 Jul. 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!