The Meaning of "History"

THE ENGLISH word history is derived from the Greek noun στορία, meaning learning. As used
by the Greek philosopher Aristotle, history meant a systematic ac- count of a set of natural
phenomena, whether or not chronological ordering was a factor in the account; and that usage,
though rare, still prevails in English in the phrase natural history. In the course of time, however,
the equivalent Latin word scientia (English, science) came to be used more regularly to designate
non-chronological systematic accounts of natural phe- nomena; and the word history was
reserved usually for accounts of phenomena (especially human af- fairs) in chronological order.

By its most common definition, the word history now means "the past of mankind." Compare the
German word for history -- Geschichte, which is derived from geschehen, meaning to happen.
Geschichte is that which has happened. This meaning of the word history is often encountered in
such overworked phrases as "all history teaches" or "the lessons of history.