historic

adjective

his·​tor·​ic hi-ˈstȯr-ik How to pronounce historic (audio)
-ˈstär-
: historical: such as
a
: famous or important in history
historic battlefields
b
: having great and lasting importance
a historic occasion
c
: known or established in the past
historic interest rates
d
: dating from or preserved from a past time or culture
historic buildings
historic artifacts

Did you know?

historic or historical?

Do you experience a slight pause before using either of these words as you try to remember which one is correct and whether it should be preceded by an or a? If so, you’re not alone, for many people find this pair particularly tricky. Historic and historical are both occasionally found preceded by an, since the initial h in each word was formerly left unpronounced. Now this h is heard, and a is far more common than an (by a ratio of about 4 to 1 in American English).

Historic and historical have been used interchangeably by many writers, even in recent years. If you would like to avoid being corrected, however, use historical for matters relating to history (the historical society), and historic to refer to things having great and lasting importance (a historic occasion).

Examples of historic in a Sentence

It's wonderful to see so many people here on this historic occasion. She returned safely from her historic flight into space. The court made a historic decision last week. They know of many historic volcanic eruptions in the area. the historic importance of the river
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Historic Haven New Haven, home to Yale University, offers a blend of historic charm and progressive energy. Joshua Alston, USA Today, 24 May 2025 After a historic collapse in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals to the Indiana Pacers, the Knicks let Game 2 slip through their fingers, in a 114-109 loss. Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 24 May 2025 Like Venice, Barcelona and other historic European cities, Bruges has been struggling to cope with overtourism. Lilit Marcus, CNN Money, 24 May 2025 The historic residence in the Poverty Ridge neighborhood now awaits its next caretaker. David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 24 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for historic

Word History

First Known Use

1594, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of historic was in 1594

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Cite this Entry

“Historic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/historic. Accessed 29 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

historic

adjective
his·​tor·​ic his-ˈtȯr-ik How to pronounce historic (audio)
-ˈtär-
1
2
: famous in history
historic events

More from Merriam-Webster on historic

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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