historic English · revision 4957

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=back-formation|attested=1611|origins=grc ἱστορικός}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /hɪˈstɒr.ɪk/, US /hɪˈstɔːr.ɪk/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is probably a back-formation from [[historical]], perhaps influenced by [[m|fr|historique]],^(Etymonline) or it is [[bor|la|historicus]],^(SOED 2002)^(NODE 1998) from [[grc|ἱστορικός|tr=historikós]], from historia “narrative, knowing by enquiry”,^(NODE 1998)^(SOED 2002) the source of [[history]].^(NODE 1998)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A historian, as a noun: 1611 in the OED, now obsolete.^(OED 1989) The adjective, of or belonging to history: 1669 in the OED, the 1660s in Etymonline.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Recording past events, the same as historical, is from 1675.^(OED 1989) The meaning “important in history, noted or celebrated” is from 1794.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) In Latin and Greek grammar the historic tenses are those used for past events (1845).^(OED 1989) The earliest English adjective was historial (late 14th century, from Late Latin historialis), which meant both “belonging to history” and “of historical importance”.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1611 – noun, a historian.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1669 – of history.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1794 – important in history.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1845 – the historic tenses.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Important in [[history]], or likely to be thought important in the future: ''a historic decision''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Famous or interesting because of its past: ''a historic house''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(grammar)'' Of tenses, used for past events.^(Collins 2023)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ahistoric]]

+ * [[historically]]

+ * [[historicism]]

+ * [[historicity]]

+ * [[historicize]]

+ * [[nonhistoric]]

+ * [[prehistoric]]

+ * [[unhistoric]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[history]]

+ * [[historical]]

+ * [[story]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Historic is now mostly kept for what is important or famous in history, and historical for whatever belongs to or deals with the past (''a historical novel''), though the two overlap and both have been used in each sense.^(AHD)^(Etymonline) Older British speech treats the h as silent after an, as in ''an historic occasion''.^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}