Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • George Macaulay Trevelyan: An English historian, known for his narrative style and focus on social history. He was the son of Sir George Otto Trevelyan, also a historian and politician. His significant works include a multi-volume social history of England and a biography of Giuseppe Garibaldi. His life spanned from 1876 to 1962.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun:
  • George Macaulay Trevelyan argued that history's ultimate function was to be an art.
  • The works of George Macaulay Trevelyan, such as his "English Social History," remain influential.
  • Many students read George Macaulay Trevelyan's biography of Garibaldi.

Advanced Usage

• "Trevelyan's thesis": Refers to a specific historical argument or interpretation put forward by George Macaulay Trevelyan.
  • The lecture critiqued Trevelyan's thesis on the causes of the English Civil War.
• "In the Trevelyan tradition": Describing historical writing that follows his narrative, literary, and Whig-influenced approach.
  • His book is written very much in the Trevelyan tradition, prioritizing readability and broad themes.

Variants and Related Words

• Trevelyanite (adj/noun, rare): Pertaining to or a follower of the historical methods or views of G.M. Trevelyan.
  • The scholar's approach is decidedly Trevelyanite in its emphasis on narrative.

Synonyms

• Historian: A scholar who studies and writes about history. (This is the general category; "George Macaulay Trevelyan" is a specific instance.)
• Whig historian: A historian who interprets history as progress toward greater liberty and constitutional government, a tradition with which Trevelyan is often associated.

Related Phrases

• Social history: A branch of history that emphasizes societal structures, everyday life, and the experiences of ordinary people, a field Trevelyan helped popularize.
  • George Macaulay Trevelyan's "English Social History" is a landmark in the field.

Noun

1. English historian and son of Sir George Otto Trevelyan whose works include a social history of England and a biography of Garibaldi (1876-1962)