historic, historical
The adjective historic should be reserved for people and things that are important, famous or memorable in history.
- The historic Fortress of Louisbourg in Nova Scotia is a popular tourist attraction.
Historical means simply “in history,” “related to history” or “actually existing or occurring in the past.”
- The movie Grey Owl was based in part on historical events.
In writing, use the indefinite article a before historic and historical. (In speech, the use of the article an is acceptable.)
- July 1, 1867, was a historic day for Canada.
- Robin Hood was a historical figure who became a legend worldwide.
Copyright notice for Writing Tips Plus
© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, represented by the Minister of Public Services and Procurement
A tool created and made available online by the Translation Bureau, Public Services and Procurement Canada
Search by related themes
Want to learn more about a theme discussed on this page? Click on a link below to see all the pages on the Language Portal of Canada that relate to the theme you selected. The search results will be displayed in Language Navigator.
- Date modified: