noun

historiography

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Historiography (noun) means Historiography is the writing of history, or a written account of history. Example: “Her latest book is a masterful piece of historiography.”

noun

Historiography is the writing of history, or a written account of history.

"Her latest book is a masterful piece of historiography."

"The exhibition traces the historiography of the Second World War."

"Few historians have shaped modern historiography as much as she has."

Historiography is the study of how history has been written and interpreted by past historians.

"Students of historiography learn to question how earlier historians reached their conclusions."

"The seminar traced the historiography of the French Revolution, showing how interpretations changed over time."

How to use historiography

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishHistoriography is about how history gets written and studied, not just what happened.

When to use it

Historiography is a fairly academic word, more common in scholarly writing than everyday speech.

Memory tip

Think of historiography as 'the history of history writing' rather than history itself.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

history →

Common pairings

the historiography of academic historiography a work of historiography study historiography

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

Test yourself on “historiography” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

Her latest book is a masterful piece of _____.

Etymology

Historiography is built from historio-, a combining form relating to history, joined with -graphy, meaning writing. Put together, the two elements describe the writing of history.

Origin: English

Rhymes for historiography

geography biography demography tomography ideography topography lithography iconography mammography discography photography pornography

See all rhymes for historiography →

Frequently asked questions

What does historiography mean?

It refers to the writing of history, or to the study of how historians have researched and written about the past.

What's the difference between history and historiography?

History is an account of past events, while historiography looks at how those accounts have been written and interpreted by historians.

Can historiography refer to a single book?

Yes, it can describe one particular written history as well as the wider study of how history is written.

What is the meaning of historiography?

"historiography" (noun) means historiography is the writing of history, or a written account of history.