historic
adjective
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 historic in a Sentence
Jacob Lev, CNN Money, 11 June 2026
Then, around 15,000 years ago, during a period of global cooling, the emergence of the Bering Land Bridge allowed elk to cross from eastern Siberia into westernmost Alaska, and eventually, into the rest of its historic North American range.
—Literary Hub, 10 June 2026
City leaders in San Francisco's Chinatown on Tuesday broke ground on the first major renovation of Portsmouth Square in nearly 50 years, marking a major overhaul of one of the city's most historic public spaces.
—Maddie White, CBS News, 10 June 2026
Its historic sites, natural landmarks and cultural institutions reflect centuries of conflict, resilience, creativity and change.
—Usa Today Network, USA Today, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for historic
Cite this Entry
“Historic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/historic. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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historic
adjective
