historical
of, relating to, treating, or characteristic of history or past events: historical records;historical research.
based on or reconstructed from an event, custom, style, etc., in the past: a historical reenactment of the battle of Gettysburg.
having once existed or lived in the real world, as opposed to being part of legend or fiction or as distinguished from religious belief: Scholars doubt that a historical Camelot ever existed. Her thesis was an overview of how theologians have studied the historical Jesus.
narrated or mentioned in history; belonging to the past: He cited several historical examples of international conflict resolution.
relating to or involving analysis based on a comparison among several periods of development of a phenomenon, as in language or economics: She taught a course in historical linguistics.
Origin of historical
1Other words for historical
3 | documented, authentic, factual, attested |
Other words from historical
- his·tor·i·cal·ly, adverb
- his·tor·i·cal·ness, noun
- an·ti·his·tor·i·cal, adjective
- an·ti·his·tor·i·cal·ness, noun
- non·his·tor·i·cal, adjective
- non·his·tor·i·cal·ness, noun
- pseu·do·his·tor·i·cal, adjective
- qua·si-his·tor·i·cal, adjective
- sem·i·his·tor·i·cal, adjective
- su·per·his·tor·i·cal, adjective
- un·his·tor·i·cal, adjective
Words that may be confused with historical
- historic, historical , hysterical
Words Nearby historical
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use historical in a sentence
Yes, North America and the EU ought to acknowledge their historical responsibility for emissions.
A Han Gwich’in dog musher and triathlete who grew up in the village of Eagle, she’d taken the stage at the group’s 2017 convention as a keynote speaker describing personal loss and historical trauma.
The Woman Propositioned by Alaska’s Former Lieutenant Governor Tells Her Story for the First Time | by Kyle Hopkins and Michelle Theriault Boots, Anchorage Daily News | September 10, 2020 | ProPublicaMany of them didn’t have any content related to significant LGBTQ historical figures as part of the history curriculum.
LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum laws take effect in N.J., Ill. | Philip Van Slooten | September 9, 2020 | Washington BladeAfter being trained on historical data, the algorithm falsely classified patients with asthma as extremely low risk.
Vitale has 30 years of experience studying policing and advising community-based movements for reform and will discuss the historical role police have played as well as their current role.
Defunding the Police virtual info session Sept. 8 | Philip Van Slooten | September 2, 2020 | Washington Blade
historical justifications for most modern celebrations can be found in the ancient world.
Hitchcock had the historical good fortune to have worked from silent films through television.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days | David Freeman | December 13, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThe central thrust of the sequence derives from historical fact.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days | David Freeman | December 13, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTIf there was anyone who thought otherwise, he left no historical record.
Stonewall Jackson, VMI’s Most Embattled Professor | S. C. Gwynne | November 29, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST“Unlike Turkey or Egypt, we have no art-historical tradition,” he told The Telegraph in 2002.
The Mysterious Death of the Art World’s Favorite Sheikh | Lizzie Crocker | November 13, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTAnd I finished all with a brief historical account of affairs and events in England for about a hundred years past.
Gulliver's Travels | Jonathan SwiftEustache le Sueur died; one of the best French historical painters of his time.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology | Joel MunsellHe distinguished himself by several military exploits, and wrote some valuable historical works.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology | Joel MunsellSamuel Squire, bishop of St. David's died; a poetical, historical and antiquarian writer of note.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology | Joel MunsellPaul de Rapin de Thoyras, an eminent French historical writer, died.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology | Joel Munsell
British Dictionary definitions for historical
/ (hɪˈstɒrɪkəl) /
belonging to or typical of the study of history: historical methods
concerned with or treating of events of the past: historical accounts
based on or constituting factual material as distinct from legend or supposition
based on or inspired by history: a historical novel
occurring or prominent in history
a less common word for historic (def. 1)
Derived forms of historical
- historically, adverb
- historicalness, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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