Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun History considered from a feminist viewpoint or emphasizing the actions of women.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun nonstandard History that emphasizes the role of women, or that is told from a woman's (or from a feminist) point of view.
  • noun feminism Any historical writing by or about women.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Blend of her and history (under an interpretation of the latter as “his story”).]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Blend of her and history, derived playfully as if the first syllable in history were his, the male pronoun.

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word herstory.

Examples

  • Fey won't be remembered by history, because herstory is not history.

    Fey likely to revive Palin impersonation 2010

  • Posted at 06: 01 PM in herstory, pi, sociologie/anthropologie | Permalink

    galleon trade edition 2008

  • And one thing that has occurred, I believe, throughout human herstory is women helping to raise one another's children -- often in an attempt to keep the kids free from sexual predation by adult males.

    KICKIN' ASS AND TAKIN' NAMES Maggie Jochild 2007

  • On this day - the birthday of Toni Morrison, who turns 77 - I highlight Margaret Garner dates unknown, whose "herstory" was eulogized and memorialized in what is often considered Morrison's greatest work: the 1988 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, Beloved, which was eventually made into a film a decade later, produced and starring Oprah Winfrey and directed by Jonathan Demme.

    Is This a Story to Pass On? Memorializing Margaret Garner Anxious Black Woman 2008

  • Thanks for the hip hop "herstory" we're always inclined to overlook.

    Hip Hop's Hatred of Black Women Anxious Black Woman 2007

  • Resource, 'herstory': Many of the formations do not have the necessary resources, financial, technical or human, and it thus crucial to share these and maximise their usage.

    Now is the time, our age of hope 2006

  • For instance, we already have located in the Women's National Coalition (WNC) a lot of our memory, 'herstory' and resources.

    Now is the time, our age of hope 2006

  • Resource, 'herstory': Many of the formations do not have the necessary resources, financial, technical or human, and it thus crucial to share these and maximise their usage.

    CONTENTS: 2006

  • For instance, we already have located in the Women's National Coalition (WNC) a lot of our memory, 'herstory' and resources.

    CONTENTS: 2006

  • But I always considered "herstory" to be a play on the word the same way the lyrics to "Lullabye League/Lollipop Guild" from The Wizard of Oz are sung "From now on you'll be history, You'll be hissed, You'll be hissed, You'll be history."

    Pen-Elayne on the Web 2003

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.

  • This word actually triggers my gag reflex. If that makes me a male chauvinist pig, so be it.

    December 9, 2007

  • I like neither this word, nor male chauvinism, so I solved the dilemma by inventing my own etymology for history. Just break up history so the first work is "hi", as in "high", instead of "his", you can think of history as a being a series of high stories, as in, a bunch of ripping good yarns, rather than some sausage club exclusionary thing.

    December 9, 2007

  • I await John's ripping yarn to excite my new Hi-Story list. Avanti.

    December 9, 2007

  • I know a lot of women who don't care for the term. I'd be surprised if it were a sausage club exclusionary thing, as John so vibrantly puts it. :-)

    December 10, 2007

  • Random House says history is "one who knows", while AHD says it is "learned man", which is probably indicative of the time it was used.

    December 10, 2007