History vs Record

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

History

Top 1,000 (very common) A1 noun

Record

Top 1,000 (very common) A2 noun

	History	Record
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/ˈhɪstri/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈhɪstri/"]/	🇬🇧 /["/ˈrekɔːd/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈrekərd/"]/
Meaning	The study of past events and times.	To write down or save information.
Example	We learned about ancient civilizations in history class.	I bought a new record of my favorite artist yesterday.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Top 1,000 (very common)	Top 1,000 (very common)
CEFR level	A1	A2
Part of speech	noun	noun
Collocations	contemporary, early, recent, piece, be steeped in, go down in, make, go back to something, go back…, reveal something, book, during something’s history, in (something’s) history, history of, change the course of history, a period of history, the lessons of history, contemporary, early, recent, piece, be steeped in, go down in, make, go back to something, go back…, reveal something, book, during something’s history, in (something’s) history, history of, change the course of history, a period of history, the lessons of history, contemporary, early, recent, piece, be steeped in, go down in, make, go back to something, go back…, reveal something, book, during something’s history, in (something’s) history, history of, change the course of history, a period of history, the lessons of history, contemporary, early, recent, piece, be steeped in, go down in, make, go back to something, go back…, reveal something, book, during something’s history, in (something’s) history, history of, change the course of history, a period of history, the lessons of history, chequered/​checkered, colourful/​colorful, fascinating, have, history of	formal, official, public, keep, maintain, compile, contain something, include something, indicate something, in the record, in the records, off the record, access to the records, have a record of something, have no record of something, club, course, national, hold, establish, set, stand, fall, book, attempt, breaker, record for, record with, in record time, past, track, distinguished, have, possess, establish, demonstrate something, show something, compare with something, record among, record for, record in, long-playing, LP, gramophone, write, cut, make, company, industry, label, long-playing, LP, gramophone, write, cut, make, company, industry, label
Antonyms	future	erase, delete
Common mistakes	Confused with 'story' - history is about real events, while a story can be fictional., Using 'histories' when referring to one subject; 'history' is usually uncountable., Incorrectly placing 'the' before 'history' when referring to its study in general.	Confused with 'recorded' when discussing past actions., Using 'record' incorrectly as a noun instead of a verb., Mixing up 'record' with 'recall' which has a different meaning.
Usage notes	Use 'history' when discussing events from the past, especially in educational contexts. It's appropriate in both written and spoken forms. Avoid using it in very casual conversations unless referring to personal stories.	Use 'record' when talking about saving audio, video, or information. It's suitable in most contexts, but in casual speech, phrases like 'make a recording' may sound more natural.

See it in real clips

House Of Cards › S1 E1

It's a big step forward. We're going to make history together.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. › S1 E1

Agent Ward here has had a little history with your group, the Rising Tide.

Game Of Thrones › S1 E1

When they write the history of my reign, sweet sister,

House Of Cards › S1 E1

It's a big step forward. We're going to make history together.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. › S1 E1

Agent Ward here has had a little history with your group, the Rising Tide.

History

The Wire › S1 E1

of record deal, you know?

Record

Frequently asked questions: History vs Record

What's the difference between History and Record?

History: The study of past events and times. Record: To write down or save information.

Which is more advanced: History and Record?

Record is the highest level, at A2, on the CEFR scale.

Are History and Record the same CEFR level?

History: A1, Record: A2 on the CEFR scale.

What part of speech are History and Record?

History: noun, Record: noun.

Can you show an example of each?

History: We learned about ancient civilizations in history class. Record: I bought a new record of my favorite artist yesterday.

Can I use History and Record interchangeably?

Not always. History and Record are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.