ABCcount

historic vs. historical

Every building older than a century gets called "historic" by someone, and most of them are not. The distinction is between importance and age: a historic event changed something, a historical event merely happened. Journalists reach for "historic" because it sounds weightier, which is precisely why it has been worn thin.

historic

An adjective meaning famous or important in history — significant enough to be remembered.

  • The ruling was a historic reversal.
  • They signed a historic agreement in 1998.
  • This is a historic moment for the industry.
  • A historic win — meaning it mattered, not merely that it occurred.

historical

An adjective meaning relating to the past, or belonging to history. No judgement about importance.

  • She works on historical records from the 1800s.
  • The novel is set against a historical backdrop.
  • Historical data suggests a seasonal pattern.
  • Historical cost accounting values assets at purchase price. (Purely descriptive — nothing significant implied.)

Quick way to remember

Ask whether the thing was important or simply old. Important gets "historic." Old, or about the past, gets "historical." If you can replace the word with "significant" and keep the meaning, "historic" is right.