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REFERENCE

historical

adj.
US //hɪˈstɔɹɪkəɫ// UK //hɪstˈɒɹɪkəl// his·tor·i·cal
  1. 1 the study of history (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Academic

    related to the study of history as a subject.

    pertaining to the academic discipline or scholarly methods of history.

    Example

    The professor shared some interesting historical documents with the class.

    Example

    The researchers conducted a thorough historical analysis of the trade routes to understand how the city grew so wealthy.
  2. 2 literature/film set in the past (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate Literature

    describing a book or movie that takes place in a specific time in the past.

    denoting a subgenre of fiction, such as a novel or film, that is set in a specific period of the past.

    Example

    She loves reading historical novels about life in the nineteenth century.

    Example

    The director was praised for the historical accuracy of the costumes and set design in his latest film about the French Revolution.

    Usage

    commonly used in the phrases 'historical fiction' or 'historical drama'.
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  1. 3 linguistic development (adj.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Academic Science

    related to how a language has changed over a long time.

    relating to the study of the development of a language over time.

    Example

    The teacher explained the historical reasons why English spelling is so difficult.

    Example

    Historical linguistics allows us to trace the evolution of modern European languages back to a common ancestor.

    Usage

    often used in the term 'historical linguistics'.
    • diachronic
    • synchronic
Origin

From Latin historicus (“historical”) + -al (forming adjectives denoting of or relating to). By surface analysis, history + -ical.

Word family

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