factoid

[ fak-toid ]

noun
  1. an insignificant or trivial fact.

  2. something fictitious or unsubstantiated that is presented as fact, devised especially to gain publicity and accepted because of constant repetition.

Origin of factoid

1
First recorded in 1973; fact + -oid

Other words from factoid

  • fac·toi·dal, adjective

Words Nearby factoid

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use factoid in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for factoid

factoid

/ (ˈfæktɔɪd) /


noun
  1. a piece of unreliable information believed to be true because of the way it is presented or repeated in print

Origin of factoid

1
C20 (coined by Norman Mailer): from fact + -oid

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012