anecdotal

[an-ik-doht-l]

adjective

1. pertaining to, resembling, or containing anecdotes.

   an anecdotal history of jazz.

2. Fine Arts.,  (of the treatment of subject matter in representational art) pertaining to the relationship of figures or to the arrangement of elements in a scene so as to emphasize the story content of a subject.

3. based on personal observation, case study reports, or random investigations rather than systematic scientific evaluation.

   anecdotal evidence.

anecdotal

/ ˌænɛkˈdəʊtəl /

adjective

1. containing or consisting exclusively of anecdotes rather than connected discourse or research conducted under controlled conditions

Other Word Forms

• anecdotalism noun
• anecdotally adverb
• unanecdotal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of anecdotal¹

First recorded in 1830–40; anecdote + -al ¹

Example Sentences

He’s wary of turning to anecdotal data, like his own personal observations or even the Fed’s Beige Book that compiles feedback from local businesses and others.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

There have been numerous anecdotal stories about some tickets now being available at a discounted rate and even being given away for free.

Read more on BBC

The Federal Reserve’s anecdotal survey of the economy from October found that manufacturing activity varied across the country and that “most reports noted challenging conditions due to higher tariffs and waning overall demand.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The Beige Book provides anecdotal economic information from 12 Federal Reserve districts, aiding Fed policy decisions.

Read more on Barron's

The copious, contradictory anecdotal evidence provided no consensus for a path forward.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• unreliable 
• unscientific 

When To Use

What does anecdotal mean?

Anecdotal describes something that is related to a short account of an incident from a particular perspective.Something that is anecdotal is a story told through anecdotes. An anecdote is a short recounting of an event from someone’s point of view, normally in a pleasant or humorous manner. For example, anecdotal history is a historical account that is laid out through the perspectives of the people involved.Anecdotal also describes something, such as research, that is based on personal observation and experience. Anecdotal evidence can be gathered by interviews, surveys, and other methods that allow people to share their experiences with the researcher.  In comparison, scientific evidence is gathered by comparing a dependent and independent variable in a controlled environment. Both types of evidence are important, but anecdotal evidence can’t prove something the way repeated testing and consistent results can.Example: My science paper relied on anecdotal evidence instead of experimentation, so the teacher gave me a low grade.