Dehistoricize

/ˌdiːhɪˈstɒrɪsaɪz/ verb

Definition

To remove something from its historical context or to treat it as if it has no history.

Etymology

From de- (to reverse or remove) + historicize (to place in historical context). The root comes from Latin historia through Greek historia, meaning inquiry or narrative of events.

Kelly Says

Museums and historians worry about dehistoricizing artifacts when we display them without explaining when and why they were made—it's like showing a painting without telling the story behind it.

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