historically
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
used to describe what happened or was true in the past over a long time.
referring to past events or conditions, often indicating a long-standing tradition or a consistent pattern over time.
Simple“Historically, this valley was used for farming, but now it is full of houses.”
In context“Historically, the two nations have maintained a complex relationship characterized by both intense economic cooperation and periodic border disputes.”
UsageOften placed at the beginning of a sentence to set the time frame.
Synonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
looking at something from the point of view of history.
with reference to the study of history or the historical record.
Simple“The book is not historically accurate, but it is a fun story.”
In context“The film was criticized for being historically inaccurate, particularly regarding the costumes and the timeline of the royal succession.”
UsageCommon in academic writing to distinguish a historical perspective from a modern one.
Synonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
used to say that something is at its highest or lowest level ever.
to an unprecedented degree in comparison with all previous recorded data.
Simple“Interest rates are historically low right now, so it is a good time to buy a house.”
In context“The region experienced historically high rainfall this autumn, leading to widespread flooding that overwhelmed the existing drainage infrastructure.”
UsageFrequently used with adjectives like 'low', 'high', or 'significant'.
Synonymsunprecedentedlyrecord breakingly
From historical + -ly or historic + -ally.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.