historical

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   having once lived or existed or taken place in the real world as distinct from being legendary

   the historical Jesus

2. 2
   adj

   of or relating to the study of history

   historical scholars

3. 3
   adj

   Of, concerning, or in accordance with recorded history, (particularly) as opposed to legends, myths, and fictions.

   July 4, 1776, is a historic date. A great deal of historical research has been done on the events leading up to that day.

4. 4
   adj

   Of, concerning, or in accordance with the past generally.

   Sith thou gaue to vs a floure most riall Redolent in cronicles with historicall syght.

5. 5
   adj

   Of, concerning, or in accordance with the scholarly discipline of history.

   The Royal Historical Society

6. 6
   adj

   Forming compound adjectives with the meaning "historical/~" or "historically"

   historical-political

7. 7
   noun

   A historical romance.

   However, as regular romance readers know, the romance novels that appear on the best-seller lists are not Harlequins at all, but rather historicals and contemporaries, which vary widely from the Harlequin pattern in style, plot, and character.

8. 8
   adj

   belonging to the past

Etymology

From Latin historicus (“historical”) + -al (forming adjectives denoting of or relating to). By surface analysis, history + -ical.