alternate history

[ awl-ter-nit his-tuh-ree, his-tree, al-tur- ]

noun

1. a genre of fiction comprising narratives in which a historical event or events take a different path than that which occurred in real life:

   Much alternate history has been written about World War II.

2. a work of fiction in which a historical event or events take a different path than that which occurred in real life:

   The first of her alternate histories, the one in which Aaron Burr wins the 1800 presidential election, is my favorite.

Word History and Origins

Origin of alternate history¹

First recorded in 1975–80

Example Sentences

An imagined alternate history of Korea that includes assassins, slasher films and the dangers of social media.

From New York Times

This creepy alteration instantly explains how this show occupies an alternate history in which the Nazis won World War II.

From Salon

Polish studio Fool’s Theory, led by veterans of the beloved Witcher series, describes The Thaumaturge as a role-playing game with “morally ambiguous choices,” and its blend of alternate history and metaphysical mystery looks intriguing.

From Seattle Times

Other authors have used alternate history and the detective story model to explore history’s dark corners, notably China Miéville’s “The City & the City” and Michael Chabon’s “The Yiddish Policemen’s Union.”

From Los Angeles Times

“SAG is like an alternate history for musicians. We’ve done all this before and won, just not within recent memory.”

From Los Angeles Times