historiography

[ hi-stawr-ee-og-ruh-fee, -stohr- ]

noun

, plural his·to·ri·og·ra·phies.

1. the body of literature dealing with historical matters; histories collectively.
2. the body of techniques, theories, and principles of historical research and presentation; methods of historical scholarship.
3. the narrative presentation of history based on a critical examination, evaluation, and selection of material from primary and secondary sources and subject to scholarly criteria.
4. an official history:

   medieval historiographies.

Other Words From

• his·to·ri·o·graph·ic [hi-stawr-ee-, uh, -, graf, -ik, -stohr-], his·tori·o·graphi·cal adjective
• his·tori·o·graphi·cal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of historiography¹

1560–70; < Middle French historiographie < Greek historiographía. See history, -o-, -graphy

Example Sentences

“He has engaged with the historiography in a way that is clearly the equivalent of a professional historian,” Brooks said.

From Seattle Times

But no matter — conservative historiography was as quick to condemn Roosevelt’s war leadership as it was to pounce on his domestic record.

From Salon

Such a reading of history is inaccurate, based on lies and willful distortions of fact and historiography, intellectually dishonest, and is right-wing dogma and disinformation masquerading as "scholarship".

From Salon

In practice, these strictures elevate a white-oriented historiography to the level of received truth, turning the clock back on decades of pedagogical progress.

From Los Angeles Times

The awards foundation said Carrère d’Encausse was “one of the most brilliant, original and distinguished personalities of French historiography and contemporary European thought.”

From Seattle Times