Historic vs Historical at a glance
- historic
/hɪˈstɒrɪk/ · adjective
Very important in history, or likely to be remembered as important.
- It was a historic win for the team, their first title in fifty years.
- The town centre is full of historic buildings.
- historical
/hɪˈstɒrɪkl/ · adjective
Connected with history or with the past, or based on things that really happened.
- She loves reading historical novels set in the 1800s.
- The museum keeps historical records of the city.
How to remember it
Historic = history-making, a big moment. Historical = related to history. A historic day makes the news; a historical document is just old and from the past.
Good to know
Both "a historic" and "an historic" exist, but "a historic" is standard in modern British and American English.
Common mistakes
Wrong: The election result was historical, the first woman president.
Right: The election result was historic, the first woman president.
Wrong: I'm studying historic documents for my thesis.
Right: I'm studying historical documents for my thesis.
Quick quiz
1.The two leaders signed a agreement to end the war.
2.The film is based on events from the Second World War.
Pick the right word for each gap.