ENGLISH
REFERENCE

historic

adj.
B1 Intermediate Oxford US //hɪˈstɔɹɪk// UK //hɪstˈɒɹɪk// his·toric Archaic General-service

adj. describing an event or place that is very important in history. You use this for things that will be remembered for a long time.

adj. significant or influential in history; likely to be remembered as a major event. Usually non-gradable when referring to a unique event.


SIMPLE

The two countries signed a historic peace treaty today.

CONTEXTUAL

The moon landing was a historic moment that changed how we see our place in the universe.

COMPLEX

The historic decision to reform the constitution followed years of civil unrest and marked the beginning of a new era for the nation's democratic institutions.

Synonyms
Origin

From Latin historicus (“historical”), from Ancient Greek ἱστορικός (historikós, “exact; historical”). Cognate with French historique. By surface analysis, history + -ic.

Usage

Typically used to describe events, agreements, or discoveries of great importance.

Pitfall

a historical momenta historic moment'Historic' means important in history, while 'historical' simply means related to the past or the study of history.

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