historical

[hi-stawr-i-kuh l, -stor-] /hɪˈstɔr ɪ kəl, -ˈstɒr-/
adjective
1.
of, pertaining to, treating, or characteristic of history or past events:
historical records; historical research.
2.
based on or reconstructed from an event, custom, style, etc., in the past:
a historical reenactment of the battle of Gettysburg.
3.
having once existed or lived in the real world, as opposed to being part of legend or fiction or as distinguished from religious belief:
to doubt that a historical Camelot ever existed; a theologian's study of the historical Jesus.
4.
narrated or mentioned in history; belonging to the past.
5.
noting or pertaining to analysis based on a comparison among several periods of development of a phenomenon, as in language or economics.
6.
historic (def 1).
Origin
1375-1425; late Middle English < Latin historic(us) historic + -al1
Related forms
historically, adverb
historicalness, noun
antihistorical, adjective
antihistorically, adverb
antihistoricalness, noun
nonhistorical, adjective
nonhistorically, adverb
nonhistoricalness, noun
pseudohistorical, adjective
pseudohistorically, adverb
quasi-historical, adjective
quasi-historically, adverb
semihistorical, adjective
semihistorically, adverb
superhistorical, adjective
superhistorically, adverb
unhistorical, adjective
unhistorically, adverb
Can be confused
historic, historical, hysterical.
Synonyms
3. documented, authentic, factual, attested.
Examples from the web for historical
  • After it has happened, the historical critics busy themselves in explaining it.
  • She is a landscape architect who restores historical gardens.
  • Some historical perspective: pros and cons of networked markets.
  • There is therefore less synthesis in undergraduate teaching, and there are fewer broader historical strokes.
  • The historical debate is as hot, and unsettled, as ever.
  • The topics are varied and may be current or historical.
  • Unless you're a priest or a fan of historical reenactments, you probably aren't serving wine in silver goblets.
  • Then he asked about my current historical interests.
  • Great minds shape the thinking of successive historical periods.
  • Most books on this are either historical or theoretical but not both.
British Dictionary definitions for historical

historical

/hɪˈstɒrɪkəl/
adjective
1.
belonging to or typical of the study of history: historical methods
2.
concerned with or treating of events of the past: historical accounts
3.
based on or constituting factual material as distinct from legend or supposition
4.
based on or inspired by history: a historical novel
5.
occurring or prominent in history
6.
a less common word for historic (sense 1)
Derived Forms
historically, adverb
historicalness, noun
Word Origin and History for historical
adj.

early 15c. (earlier in same sense was historial, late 14c.), from Latin historicus (from Greek historikos "historical, of or for inquiry," from historia; see history) + -al (1). Related: Historically.