A1noun1K

History

UK /["/ˈhɪstri/"]/US /["/ˈhɪstri/"]/

Definition

all the events that happened in the past

In simple words: The study of past events and times.

Examples

  • We learned about ancient civilizations in history class.
  • His favorite subject is history because he loves stories from the past.
  • History can teach us valuable lessons about human behavior.
  • Many history books explore how societies were formed.
  • The history of the world is filled with fascinating events.

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.

Grammar pattern

standalone noun

Memory hint

Think of 'his-story' – it's about stories of people from the past.

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

Synonyms

  • chronicle
  • record
  • past
  • narrative
  • tradition

Antonyms

  • future

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.