history

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   The study of past events, especially in human affairs.

   They teach medieval history at the university.

2. 2
   noun

   All the events that happened in the past.

   It was a critical time in the school's history.

3. 3
   noun

   A written or spoken account of past events.

   He wrote a history of France.

4. 4
   noun

   The set of past events connected with a particular person or thing.

   The patient has a long history of heart problems.

Common collocations

• study history Verb + noun
• ancient history Adjective + noun
• long history Adjective + noun
• teach history Verb + noun
• recorded history Adjective + noun

From Middle English historie, from Old French estoire, estorie (“chronicle, history, story”) (French histoire), from Latin historia, from Ancient Greek ἱστορίᾱ (historíā, “learning through research”), from ἱστορέω (historéō, “to research, inquire (and) record”), from ἵστωρ (hístōr, “the knowing, wise one”), from Proto-Indo-European *weyd- (“see, know”). Doublet of story and storey. Attested in Middle English in 1393 by John Gower, Confessio Amantis, which was aimed at an educated audience familiar with French and Latin.

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