historian
Americannoun
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historians
plural
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an expert in history; authority on history.
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a writer of history; chronicler.
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of historian
Explanation
A historian is someone who is an authority on history. Your American History textbook was written by a historian. If you've ever taken a history class, chances are it was taught by a historian — someone who is an expert on history. You don't get to be a historian overnight; most historians have studied history for years and have a Master's or Ph.D. in history. If you want an informed opinion on past elections, wars, disasters, and trends, talk to a historian or read a book by one. Historians are experts on the past.
Vocabulary lists containing historian
"Mysteries of the Ancient Past"
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"The Sword in the Stone" and "Was There a Real King Arthur?"
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Week 5: Into the Past
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
"It's absolutely heartbreaking. It really is emotionally devastating, because it's utter despair: no more lake," said amateur local historian David Favre, who lives in the Swiss village of Les Brenets.
From Barron's ● Oct. 4, 2026
Fellow historian Dilys Webb said Elham offered plenty for a young girl growing up in the late 1930s.
From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026
At Fidel Castro’s childhood home, a local historian shows a family photo with the bearded Castro in attendance at his sister’s wedding.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
In 1962, she was discovered by the photographer and art historian Nina Howell Starr, who launched her career in New York.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026
He’s a historian, an expert on the goblin-elf wars of centuries past.
From "The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge" by M.T. Anderson and Eugene Yelchin
Although historians are unaware of her ever returning to Elham, residents remain "incredibly proud" that one of the world's best-known actresses once called their community home.
From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026
Some historians have likened the dispute to the French and German tug-of-war over Charlemagne.
From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026
Some historians have proposed that the eruption occurred later in the fall of 79 CE.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 30, 2026
In 2001, in response to such critiques, the Smithsonian convened a blue-ribbon commission of historians and others led by Richard Darman, a former top aide in Republican White Houses.
From Salon ● Sep. 25, 2026
To art historians the study of styles is of central importance.
From "History of Art, Volume 1" by H.W. Janson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
