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historic period

historic period

1 4.2
A time in the past when important events or changes happen
  • noun
  • /hɪˈstɔrɪk ˈpɪərɪəd/
translation icon : período histórico
  • Historians study the events of that historic period to understand societal changes over time.

Examples

  • Thirdly, we acknowledge historic periods as producing a kind of coherence, a period style, as in an era like the Italian Renaissance, or even the American Renaissance.

    Academic text (2000)
  • Much before the historic period, a shift in subsistence from generalized hunting and gathering to maize-based horticulture had occurred.

    Academic text (1992)
  • These conversions provide a much more realistic picture of the "real" cost of items in historic periods.

    Academic text (1992)
  • The last three years of the decade were examined because these years represented a historic period, when a decade was ending and a new decade was about to begin.

    Academic text (1994)
  • Archaeology of Aboriginal Culture Change in the Interior Southeast: Depopulation During the Early Historic Period

    Academic text (1992)
  • Moreover, particular kinds of ceramics believed to be associated with fire ceremonialism extend back from the historic period into Mississippian times.

    Academic text (2002)
  • This historic period seems remarkably fruitful for the study of Russian-American literary interrelations, which gained enormous impetus after the Crimean War in Russia and during the Civil War in the USA.

    Academic text (2003)
  • The potential unities of a work, of an author's style, and of a historic period—these are still valid and pedagogically effective means of laying out a curriculum and of approaching literary studies.

    Academic text (2000)
  • This exhibit showcases artifacts from a historic period that shaped modern civilization.

  • The invention of the printing press marked a significant shift into a historic period of enlightenment.

Synonyms

period
vshistoric period
2.1

A length of time with a clear start and end, like a class or game segment

is more focused on historical distinctiveness rather than any time segment
era
vshistoric period
775 2.5

A period of time marked by important events or features

is used for a defined historical span formed by notable developments
age
vshistoric period
674 5.5

A time in history marked by a main event or feature

is the general label for historically distinct spans marked by events
chapter
vshistoric period
179 2.8

A period in a person's life or in history that marks a change

covers broader historical spans defined by many events and features
time period
vshistoric period
93 2.2

A length of time that includes certain events

focuses more on historical distinctiveness and long developments
times
vshistoric period
2.6

A period in history with particular events or ideas

focuses more on distinctive features and notable historical developments

Antonyms

1.0

The time that comes after the present

15 3.1

The recent period of history from the Industrial Revolution to today

Surface Forms

Morphology

historic + period

The meaning of 'historic period' is directly compositional: 'historic' (notable for historical importance) simply modifies 'period' (a measured interval) to indicate an era in history. This is a common, cross-linguistically supported noun + adjective composition (e.g. Spanish 'periodo histórico'), so a B1 learner who knows both words can readily infer the phrase's meaning.

Etymology

The phrase historic period is like a chapter on a long history timeline: historic points to the past and period means a stretch of time shown as one section with its own clothes, buildings, or ideas. So a historic period means a specific 'era' with its own events and features.