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
William Harwood, CBS News, 9 Apr. 2026
The Kansas City Mavericks have had a whirlwind of a week — in a good way, as has often been the case during the minor-league hockey team’s historic 2026 ECHL season.
—The Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 9 Apr. 2026
How to Get Around With lush gardens, scenic ocean paths, and historic boulevards, Yokohama is the perfect place to stretch your legs and explore on foot.
—Kim Kay, Travel + Leisure, 9 Apr. 2026
The boxy 1960s-era former City Hall was ruined by a historic flood in 2023 and demolished.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 9 Apr. 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 10 Apr. 2026.
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historic
adjective
