historical meaning and definition

HISTORICAL adjective

Definition of historical (adjective)

1. of or relating to the study of history
   • "historical scholars"; "a historical perspective"
   • antonym: ahistorical
2. having once lived or existed or taken place in the real world as distinct from being legendary
   • "the historical Jesus"; "doubt that a historical Camelot every existed"; "actual historical events"
3. belonging to the past; of what is important or famous in the past
   • "historic victories"; "historical (or historic) times"; "a historical character"
   • synonyms: historic
4. used of the study of a phenomenon (especially language) as it changes through time
   • "diachronic linguistics"
   • synonyms: diachronic
   • antonym: synchronic