Word
historical
Phoneticshis·tor·i·cal, stress on the second syllable
US/hɪˈstɔɹɪkəɫ/
UK/hɪstˈɒɹɪkəl/
Definitions
01real past events
B1 · Intermediate
adj. connected to things that actually happened in the past, rather than stories or myths.
adj. relating to or based on events that occurred in the past, as opposed to fictional or legendary accounts.
“The museum has many historical documents from the time of the American Revolution.”
“Researchers are cross-referencing these oral traditions with historical records to determine if the battle actually took place at this location.”
02the study of history
B2 · Upper Intermediate Academic
adj. related to the work that historians do or the study of the past.
adj. pertaining to the academic discipline of history or the methods used by historians.
“She is doing historical research for her new book about the city.”
“The professor argued that a rigorous historical analysis requires looking at economic data alongside political speeches.”
03literature/art set in the past
B1 · Intermediate Literature
adj. describing a book, movie, or painting that is set in a time long ago.
adj. denoting a work of fiction or art that uses a specific period of the past as its setting.
“He loves reading historical novels about kings and queens.”
“The film was praised for its historical accuracy in costume design, though the dialogue felt somewhat modern for the era.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
04past development
B2 · Upper Intermediate Academic
adj. looking at how something has changed over a long period of time.
adj. relating to the development or evolution of something over time.
“The teacher explained the historical development of the English language.”
“To understand the current conflict, one must examine the historical context of the region's borders.”
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “historical” in context.
Adjective
01. historical account
“The book provides a detailed historical account of the French Revolution.”
adj + noun
02. historical analysis
“A careful historical analysis reveals how the laws have changed over time.”
adj + noun
03. historical background
“The teacher gave us some historical background before we started reading the novel.”
adj + noun
04. historical change
“The city has undergone significant historical change since the industrial era.”
adj + noun
05. historical context
“It is important to look at these events in their proper historical context.”
adj + noun
06. historical data
“Researchers are using historical data to track changes in the local climate.”
adj + noun
07. historical development
“The museum shows the historical development of transport in this country.”
adj + noun
08. historical event
“The signing of the peace treaty was a major historical event.”
adj + noun
09. historical evidence
“There is no historical evidence to prove that this king ever existed.”
adj + noun
10. historical information
“The website contains a lot of useful historical information about the castle.”
adj + noun
11. historical method
“Students learn how to use the historical method to evaluate primary sources.”
adj + noun
12. historical period
“The Victorian era is a very interesting historical period to study.”
adj + noun
Confusables
Historic describes something famous or important in history, while historical describes anything related to the past.
RememberHistoric = Famous. Historical = Related to history.
Etymology
From Latin historicus (“historical”) + -al (forming adjectives denoting of or relating to). By surface analysis, history + -ical.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B1 · IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/historical