history
noun
his·to·ry
ˈhi-st(ə-)rē 
plural histories
2
a
: a chronological record of significant events (such as those affecting a nation or institution) often including an explanation of their causes
a history of Japan
b
: a treatise presenting systematically related natural phenomena (as of geography, animals, or plants)
an illustrated history of North American birds
c
: an account of a patient's medical background
reviewing her medical history
d
: an established record
a prisoner with a history of violence
3
: a branch of knowledge that records and explains past events
medieval history
4
a
: events that form the subject matter of a history
the history of space exploration
b
: events of the past
History has shown that such efforts rarely succeed.
c
: one that is finished or done for
the winning streak was history
you're history
d
: previous treatment, handling, or experience (as of a metal)
a history of repeated exposure to freezing temperatures
Examples of history in a Sentence
I studied history in college.
a professor of medieval history
They were one of the greatest teams in history.
It was one of the most destructive storms in modern history.
It was a period in American history when most people lived and worked on farms.
The history of space exploration is a fascinating topic.
He wrote a well-known history of the British empire.
The book begins with a brief history of the Internet.
Recent Examples on the Web
With the win, McVay passed John Robinson for the most regular season wins by a head coach in franchise history (76) and Los Angeles pulled even to 6-6 on the season — just one game behind the NFC West-leading Seattle Seahawks (7-5).
—
The Athletic Nfl Staff, The Athletic, 2 Dec. 2024
Our story begins with Alana, who has a history with Kansas City and with the Chiefs that goes back literal generations: Her parents met because their families had season tickets and were seated next to each other growing up.
—Sandra Gonzalez, CNN, 1 Dec. 2024
Considering Cruz Azul's history of disappointing relative to expectations, the club will be desperate to buck that narrative on Saturday and pull off the comeback against Club Tijuana.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 1 Dec. 2024
To put it simply, István does not affect history, history affects István.
—Dennis Zhou, The New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for history 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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The Athletic Nfl Staff, The Athletic, 2 Dec. 2024
Our story begins with Alana, who has a history with Kansas City and with the Chiefs that goes back literal generations: Her parents met because their families had season tickets and were seated next to each other growing up.
—Sandra Gonzalez, CNN, 1 Dec. 2024
Considering Cruz Azul's history of disappointing relative to expectations, the club will be desperate to buck that narrative on Saturday and pull off the comeback against Club Tijuana.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 1 Dec. 2024
To put it simply, István does not affect history, history affects István.
—Dennis Zhou, The New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for history
Dictionary Entries Near history
Cite this Entry
“History.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/history. Accessed 9 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
history
noun
his·to·ry
ˈhis-t(ə-)rē
plural histories
1
: a story of real or imaginary events
2
a
: a written record of important events and their causes
b
: a branch of knowledge that records and explains past events
c
: events that form the topics of a history
Medical Definition
history
noun
his·to·ry
ˈhis-t(ə-)rē
plural histories
: an account of a patient's family and personal background and past and present health
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