historical English · revision 3917

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 1425|origins=grc ἱστορικός}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /hɪˈstɒɹɪkəl/ ''(UK)''; /hɪˈstɔɹɪkəl/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed from [[la|historicus|t=of history, historical]] and [[-al]],^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) from [[grc|ἱστορικός|tr=historikós|t=historical; of or for inquiry; exact]],^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) from [[m|grc|ἱστορία|tr=historía|t=inquiry, narrative, history]].^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) It is related to [[history]] and [[historic]].^(Etymonline)^(NODE 1998)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ “Of or pertaining to history, conveying information from the past”: early 15th century in Etymonline;^(Etymonline) the OED's first record is about 1513.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ “Narrated in history”, as opposed to fiction or legend, is from 1843.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) Of a treatise or writer dealing with history it is from 1590,^(OED 1989) and of an artist or painting depicting historical events from 1658.^(OED 1989) The ''historical method'', studying a thing through its history, is from 1843.^(OED 1989) In the sense “celebrated in history” (1834) it has been largely replaced by [[historic]],^(OED 1989) and the earliest adjective in English was historial (late 14th century).^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * early 15th century – of history.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1590 – dealing with history.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1658 – of history painting.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1843 – as opposed to legend.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Of or relating to [[history]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Based on or concerned with events in history: ''a historical novel''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Used in the past: ''historical costumes''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Important or famous in history; [[historic]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # In linguistics, [[diachronic]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[historically]]

+ * [[historicalness]]

+ * [[ahistorical]]

+ * [[antihistorical]]

+ * [[sociohistorical]]

+ * [[superhistorical]]

+ * [[nonhistorical]]

+ * [[pseudohistorical]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[history]]

+ * [[historic]]

+ * [[historian]]

+ * [[story]]

+ * [[prehistoric]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Historic and historical overlap, but historic usually means important in history (''a historic voyage'') and historical whatever existed in the past or concerns its study (''a historical novel''), though the two are often interchangeable.^(AHD)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}