anecdotal

American  

[an-ik-doht-l] / ˌæn ɪkˈdoʊt 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.

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anecdotal British  

/ ˌænɛkˈdəʊtəl /

adjective

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

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Usage

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.

Other Word Forms

• anecdotalism noun
• anecdotally adverb
• unanecdotal adjective

Etymology

Origin of anecdotal

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

Example Sentences

It is unclear what damage has been caused by the fires, but Australia's Deputy Incident Controller Alistair Drayton, said he had "anecdotal evidence" that some homes had been lost.

From BBC

“Early anecdotal evidence on budget penetration and new advertiser adoption appears encouraging,” Coolbrith wrote.

From Barron's

The report gathers anecdotal information on current economic conditions from the central bank’s 12 regional banks.

From Barron's

The report gathers anecdotal information on current economic conditions from the central bank’s 12 regional banks.

From Barron's

"In recent years we have had anecdotal evidence from areas like Mid Ulster where people have been contacting us saying their area seems to have high rates of haemochromatosis," he said.

From BBC

Related Words

• unreliable
• unscientific