historic
adjective
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
Andy Mitten, New York Times, 21 May 2026
Wangfujing’s shopping streets are nearby for luxury retail and snack stalls, while the hutongs and narrower historic alleys around the Forbidden City are easy to explore from here.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 May 2026
Today, many use the waterway for recreation, typically by kayak or boat, and visit historic canal towns along it.
—Victoria E. Freile, USA Today, 20 May 2026
In its complaint, the nonprofits argued that the removal violated a federal law that allowed Confederate flags to fly at similar historic sites.
—Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for historic
Cite this Entry
“Historic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/historic. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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historic
adjective
