What does "history" mean?
The aggregate of past events.
History
/ˈhɪs.tə.ɹi/ noun, verb, slang
noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The aggregate of past events.
- Grammar: history is listed as noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: chronicle, account, account, adventure.
- Useful contrasts: coming period timeline, current status, fiction.
- Usage evidence: How come you know so much about Japanese history?
How to use "history"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "history" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "history" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "history" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "history" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "history" is acting as noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "chronicle" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "history", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The aggregate of past events. countable, uncountable
"History repeats itself if we don’t learn from its mistakes."
- 2 the discipline that records and interprets past events involving human beings wordnet
- 3 The empirical study of past events, as distinct from literature, myth, or scripture; the assessment of notable events. countable, uncountable
"He teaches Latin American history at the university and publishes books about the Cold War."
- 4 all that is remembered of the past as preserved in writing; a body of knowledge wordnet
- 5 The portion of the past that is known and recorded by this field of study, as opposed to all earlier and unknown times that preceded it (prehistory). countable, uncountable
"in all of human history and prehistory"
Show 10 more definitions
- 6 a record or narrative description of past events wordnet
- 7 A set of events involving an entity. countable
"a long and sordid history"
- 8 the aggregate of past events wordnet
- 9 A record or narrative description of past events. countable
"I really enjoyed Shakespeare's tragedies more than his histories."
- 10 the continuum of events occurring in succession leading from the past to the present and even into the future wordnet
- 11 A list of past and continuing medical conditions of an individual or family. countable
"A personal medical history is required for the insurance policy."
- 12 A record of previous user events, especially of visited web pages in a browser. countable
"I visited a great site yesterday but forgot the URL. Luckily, I didn't clear my history."
- 13 Something that no longer exists or is no longer relevant. countable, informal, uncountable
"I told him that if he doesn't get his act together, he's history."
- 14 Shared experience or interaction. uncountable
"There is too much history between them for them to split up now."
- 15 A historically significant event. uncountable
"You are witnessing history!"
Verb
- 1 To narrate or record. obsolete
"And therefore will hee wipe his Tables cleane, And keepe no Tell-tale to his Memorie, That may repeat, and Historie his losse"
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"How come you know so much about Japanese history?"
Common questions
What is a synonym for "history"?
Common synonyms include: chronicle, account, account, adventure, adventures, ancient history.
How do you use "history" in a sentence?
How come you know so much about Japanese history?
How do you pronounce "history"?
Pronounced /ˈhɪs.tə.ɹi/.
Etymology
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.