history

noun

his·​to·​ry ˈhi-st(ə-)rē How to pronounce history (audio)
plural histories
1
: tale, story
2
a
: a chronological record of significant events (such as those affecting a nation or institution) often including an explanation of their causes
a history of Japan
b
: a treatise presenting systematically related natural phenomena (as of geography, animals, or plants)
an illustrated history of North American birds
c
: an account of a patient's medical background
reviewing her medical history
d
: an established record
a prisoner with a history of violence
3
: a branch of knowledge that records and explains past events
medieval history
4
a
: events that form the subject matter of a history
the history of space exploration
b
: events of the past
History has shown that such efforts rarely succeed.
c
: one that is finished or done for
the winning streak was history
you're history
d
: previous treatment, handling, or experience (as of a metal)
a history of repeated exposure to freezing temperatures

Examples of history in a Sentence

I studied history in college. a professor of medieval history They were one of the greatest teams in history. It was one of the most destructive storms in modern history. It was a period in American history when most people lived and worked on farms. The history of space exploration is a fascinating topic. He wrote a well-known history of the British empire. The book begins with a brief history of the Internet.
Recent Examples on the Web Auburn defeated Florida for its third Southeastern Conference tournament title in school history and coach Bruce Pearl’s 200th career win leading the program. Iliana Limón Romero, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2024 There is something intoxicating about the complex mesh of speculations and theories, all of which seek to explain an admittedly dark and baffling history. Lucas Ropek / Gizmodo, Quartz, 19 Mar. 2024 See all Example Sentences for history 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'history.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English histoire, historie, from Anglo-French estoire, histoire, from Latin historia, from Greek, inquiry, history, from histōr, istōr knowing, learned; akin to Greek eidenai to know — more at wit

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of history was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near history

Cite this Entry

“History.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/history. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

history

noun
his·​to·​ry ˈhis-t(ə-)rē How to pronounce history (audio)
plural histories
1
: a story of real or imaginary events
2
a
: a written record of important events and their causes
b
: a branch of knowledge that records and explains past events
c
: events that form the topics of a history

Medical Definition

history

noun
his·​to·​ry ˈhis-t(ə-)rē How to pronounce history (audio)
plural histories
: an account of a patient's family and personal background and past and present health

More from Merriam-Webster on history

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