anecdote

[an-ik-doht]

noun

plural

anecdotes, anecdota 

1. a short account of a particular incident or event, especially of an interesting or amusing nature.

2. a short, obscure historical or biographical account.

anecdote

/ ˈænɪkˌdəʊt /

noun

1. a short usually amusing account of an incident, esp a personal or biographical one

Other Word Forms

• anecdotic adjective
• anecdotalist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of anecdote¹

First recorded in 1670–80; from New Latin anecdota or French anecdotes, from Late Greek, Greek anékdota “things unpublished” (referring particularly to Procopius's unpublished memoirs of Justinian and Theodora), neuter plural of anékdotos, equivalent to an- an- ¹ + ékdotos “given out,” adjective derivative of ekdidónai “to give out, publish” ( ek- ec- + didónai “to give”)

Word History and Origins

Origin of anecdote¹

C17: from Medieval Latin anecdota unpublished items, from Greek anekdotos unpublished, from _an- + ekdotos published, from ekdidonai, from ek- out + didonai to give

Example Sentences

Ejae, meanwhile, offered an anecdote that suggests “Golden’s” success may have been preordained.

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They would analyze the script and share anecdotes from their own experiences as mothers.

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From her bookish Ohio upbringing to her early forays into feature writing, her anecdotes sing with the pleasure of a person born to her passion and purpose.

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But the fact Harris chose to include that anecdote speaks to the tetchiness underlying the warmth and fuzziness that California’s two most prominent Democrats put on public display.

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When suffering is measured, it becomes harder to dismiss; when it is left uncounted, it drifts back into the realm of anecdote, where policymakers can insist the problem is exaggerated, isolated or even imaginary.

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Related Words

• episode 
• gag 
• narration 
• narrative 
• reminiscence 
• short story 
• sketch 
• tale 
• tall tale 
• yarn