historian

noun

his·​to·​ri·​an hi-ˈstȯr-ē-ən How to pronounce historian (audio)
-ˈstär-
Synonyms of historiannext
1
: a student or writer of history
especially : one who produces a scholarly synthesis
2
: a writer or compiler of a chronicle

Synonyms

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Examples of historian in a Sentence

historians are still trying to sort out fact from fiction in the story of Kateri Tekakwitha, the Lily of the Mohawks
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.
Latta Place redesign plan A steering committee made up of county staff, historians, scholars, community leaders and descendants helped guide the county’s efforts and traveled to other former slave plantations as part of their work. — Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 21 Mar. 2025 But historians have found that this emphasis lacked clear military objectives, meaning troops faced confusion and contradictory orders. — Samuel C. Mahaney, The Conversation, 21 Mar. 2025 Journalists and historians sifting through the document drop have so far failed to uncover any major new revelations about the assassination itself. — Brenton Blanchet, People.com, 20 Mar. 2025 Many historians and observers have noted that this recent release of over 63,000 pages on the Kennedy assassination does not contain much new information. — Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 19 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for historian

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of historian was in the 15th century

Rhymes for historian

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Browse Nearby Words

histoplasmosis
historian
historiated
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Cite this Entry

“Historian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/historian. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

historian

noun
his·​to·​ri·​an his-ˈtōr-ē-ən How to pronounce historian (audio)
-ˈtȯr-,
-ˈtär-
: a student or writer of history

More from Merriam-Webster on historian

Nglish: Translation of historian for Spanish Speakers

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