historian
Americannoun
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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:
Yale Law Professor Akhil Amar, a constitutional historian, argued that the history of birthright citizenship is clear and not subject to revisionist thinking.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 12, 2026
“The U.S. has, for a whole variety of reasons, never utilized a technical ‘dead man’s switch,'” historian Garrett Graff, an expert on continuity of government, told the Associated Press.
From Salon ● Jul. 11, 2026
After his cover was blown, he served prison terms in South Korea before later becoming a historian specialising in the Silk Road and the history of West Asia.
From Barron's ● Jul. 10, 2026
As historian Gordon Wood has documented, the U.S. revolution was “radical” in its ideas about liberty and the rights of man.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026
According to Katya Polunina, the senior mechanic who became the regiment’s historian, the women often flew in pairs with a male pilot because the men had more experience.
From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein
Every day we welcome students into the Capitol, train teachers from across the country, host conversations with historians and public servants, and encourage visitors to see themselves as part of the American story.
From Salon ● Jul. 10, 2026
Indeed, the role of first lady has long been traditional — so much so that historians note the exceptions, such as Eleanor Roosevelt and Hillary Clinton.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026
There are a lot of historians who think that the list has an order, that it starts with the smaller grievances and ends with the things the founders were most angry about.
From Slate ● Jul. 3, 2026
Why have historians largely steered clear of the akhbarat?
From BBC ● Jun. 27, 2026
These were intellectual transformations of fundamental importance, yet historians of science barely discuss them.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
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.
