LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
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“history” in Latin

The English word history itself goes back to Latin historia.

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

history
A narration, narratio: diminutive, narratiuncula: memoria alicujus rei or de re (account that is in existence, or has been circulated; e.g., de Myrone memoria duplex prodita est).
History = collected narrative of events, res or res gestae: memoria rerum gestarum: memoria annalium: res veteres: antiquitas (i. e., ancient history): litterae (as far as contained in books or other written documents, especially as bearing on national customs and manners; Nep., Praef., 2; Pel., 1, 1): historia or historia rerum gestarum (mostly implying a scientific or careful treatment of the subject). Fabulous or mythological history, historia fabularis (Suet.); fabulae. The Roman history, res populi Romani; litterae populi Roman; historia populi Romani. Universal history, perpetua rerum gestarum historia (Cic., Fam., 5, 12, 6). ☞ An adjective with “history” should mostly be translated by a genitive with rerum; thus, sacred, profane history, historia rerum sacrarum, profanarum; or, at all events, historia, quam dicimus sacram, profanam, etc. Grecian history, historia rerum Graecarum, or res Graecae only. To write a history, historiam scribere, componere, or instituere; rerum gestarum historiam complecti: to write the history of his own times, scribere historiam earum rerum, quae sunt ipsius aetate gestae (Cic.): to write the Roman history, res Romanas, or populi Romani, historia comprehendere, perscribere; res Romanas in historiam conferre: to complete a history, historiam perficere, absolvere: to study history, historiae se dare: to be well read or versed in history, historias plures novisse: to be very fond of history, esse magno studio rerum veterum: to have no knowledge of history, nullam memoriam antiquitatis collegisse: Well versed in ancient history, omnis antiquitatis peritissimus.

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for history?
The usual Latin words for “history” are nārrātiō, antīquitās, littera. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.