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history

n. C / U
A1 Beginner Oxford US //ˈhɪstɝi// UK //hˈɪstəɹˌi// his·to·ry Archaic General-service Informal

n. the study of things that happened in the past. It can also mean a record of past events for a person, a country, or a computer.

n. the chronological record of past events or the study of past occurrences. In technical contexts, it refers to a log of previous user actions or a patient's medical background.


SIMPLE

I enjoy reading about the history of ancient Rome.

CONTEXTUAL

The doctor reviewed the patient's medical history before deciding on a treatment plan.

COMPLEX

Historians often debate whether history is shaped more by the actions of powerful individuals or by broader social and economic forces.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English historie, from Old French estoire, estorie (“chronicle, history, story”) (French histoire), from Latin historia, from Ancient Greek ἱστορίᾱ (historíā, “learning through research”), from ἱστορέω (historéō, “to research, inquire (and) record”), from ἵστωρ (hístōr, “the knowing, wise one”), from Proto-Indo-European *weyd- (“see, know”). Doublet of story and storey. Attested in Middle English in 1393 by John Gower, Confessio Amantis, which was aimed at an educated audience familiar with French and Latin.

Usage

Uncountable when referring to the academic subject; countable when referring to a specific record or a series of past events.

Idioms3 entries

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