cultural history

American  

[kuhl-cher-uhl his-tree, his-tuh-ree] / ˈkʌl tʃər əl ˈhɪs tri, ˈhɪs tə ri /

noun

cultural histories plural

1. a study or account of a society's past that focuses on aspects of culture, such as the development of ideas, the arts, religion, lifestyle, etc., rather than primarily political events.

2. a study or account of a particular period in the past that compares and contrasts major cultures active at the time in terms of their rise and fall and the forces at work, including contact with each other and mutual influence.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• cultural historian
  noun
• cultural-historical
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• cultural histories
  plural

Example Sentences

Rebuilding Leonardo's genetic profile would mark a major milestone in both science and cultural history.

From Science Daily • May 4, 2026

King Charles has been an advocate for building links between communities and the restaurant's supporters are calling for his backing to protect it as "a living piece of shared cultural history".

From BBC • Jan. 31, 2026

She is author of six other books of nonfiction, a professor of literary and cultural history who has taught at multiple universities, and an internationally recognized wine writer and a winemaker.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 8, 2025

Alun is a senior lecturer in history who specialises in early modern medicine and has devoted years to researching the cultural history of beards - a niche that he realised was lacking on social media.

From BBC • Sep. 26, 2025

We shall therefore trace writing’s development not only because of its inherent importance, but also for the general insights into cultural history that it provides.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond