historic
- 01 B1 Intermediate
very important or famous in history.
having great importance or lasting significance in the course of history.
Simple“The two countries signed a historic peace treaty to end the long war.”
In context“The moon landing was a historic achievement that fundamentally altered humanity's perspective on its place in the universe.”
UsageOften used with 'an' or 'a'; while 'a historic' is more common in modern English, 'an historic' is still found in formal writing.
Teacher's tipLearners frequently confuse this with 'historical'. Remind them that 'historic' means 'famous/important' while 'historical' means 'related to the past'.
PitfallWe visited a historic building from the 1800s. We visited a historical building from the 1800s.Use 'historic' for things that are important or famous. Use 'historical' for things that simply belong to the past.
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
used to describe verb tenses that talk about the past.
relating to a tense or mood used to describe past events, such as the historic present.
Simple“The writer uses the historic present to make the old story feel more exciting.”
In context“The author's use of the historic present creates a sense of immediacy, drawing the reader directly into the heat of the battle.”
UsageUsually appears in the phrase 'historic present'.
historic vs historical — Historic describes something famous or important in history, while historical describes anything related to the past.
Usage historic buildings · historic event · historic quadruple
From Latin historicus (“historical”), from Ancient Greek ἱστορικός (historikós, “exact; historical”). Cognate with French historique. By surface analysis, history + -ic.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.