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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/
: 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.