anecdote

noun an·ec·dote \ ˈa-nik-ˌdōt \

Updated on: 11 Sep 2017

Definition of anecdote

plural anecdotes also anecdota play \ˌa-nik-ˈdō-tə\

:a usually short narrative of an interesting, amusing, or biographical incident

See anecdote defined for English-language learners

See anecdote defined for kids

anecdote was our Word of the Day on 02/10/2009. Hear the podcast!

Examples of anecdote in a Sentence

Like many Jesuits who then ate most of their meals in refectories, McKenzie was a master raconteur with endless anecdotes, stories, and one-liners. —Margaret O'Brien Steinfels, Commonweal, 11 Sept. 2009
If Antony had won, of course, the story would have been very different. Indeed, despite the dominance of the Augustan version of events, a few hostile anecdotes about the young Octavian probably offer a glimpse of what Antony's side was saying. —Mary Beard, New York Review of Books, 12 Feb. 2009
Alexander's use of the family's private papers—the Waughs were prolific writers of letters and diaries as well as books—not only adds richly to the entertainment value of his account but also serves to illuminate just how tangled are the threads of filial love, hurt, awe, and competitiveness that run through their work. Although he ranges freely over two centuries of family anecdotes, amusing and appalling by turn, the dominant figure here is, as it should be, Evelyn. —Evelyn Toynton, Harper's, August 2007
Any competent science reporter knows anecdotes are not data and that one dramatic story proves nothing. —Editor & Publisher, 4 Nov. 2002
Deeply convinced of her own unattractiveness, frequently lonely and unimaginably needy, Joplin was a person who lived all over the page. It is impossible to read about her and not crave more anecdotes and personal details of such a wanton, tragic life. —Kim France, New York Times Book Review, 2 May 1999
He told us all sorts of humorous anecdotes about his childhood.
told us once again that anecdote about the dog and the bike

Recent Examples of anecdote from the Web

During the three-hour tour, our guide, the redoubtable Terry Cotter, regaled us with tales of African safaris and animal anecdotes.

— karen d’souza, chicagotribune.com, "Safari West: A free-range zoo adventure in California," 17 Aug. 2017
The current report was released without much fanfare, and without lengthy thematic analyses and personal anecdotes about victims of religious persecution that have marked previous annual surveys.

— anne gearan, Washington Post, "Trump administration highlights actions of Islamic State in annual religious freedom summary," 15 Aug. 2017
In addition to all of these anecdotes, Kim shared a super-cute throwback photo of herself and Kourtney.

— de elizabeth, Teen Vogue, "Kim Kardashian Explains Her First Memories of Makeup," 14 Aug. 2017
Do not take these anecdotes or stories about him lightly.

— william d. cohan, The Hive, "How Stephen Miller Rode White Rage from Duke’s Campus to Trump’s West Wing," 9 Aug. 2017
One anecdote that was really startling was hearing from one country—

— National Geographic, "How Tiny Planes Could Revolutionize Health Care," 7 July 2017
What's happening with the idea that there's widespread voter fraud appears to be analysis by anecdote.

— chris cillizza, CNN, "Here's the real problem with Kris Kobach's voter fraud commission," 5 July 2017
A drunken stupor isn’t exactly an option here; luckily, Louis-Dreyfus is smart enough to turn even feeble straight lines into funny anecdotes.

— chris smith, Daily Intelligencer, "Single (Not that there’s anything wrong with that!)," 30 June 2017
The special comprises eight weekly episodes where the Guatemalan singer and songwriter opens up about the processes, history and anecdotes relating to his latest album, Circo Soledad.

— suzette fernandez, Billboard, "Ricardo Arjona Launches 'A Solas con el Circo Soledad' Docu-Series on YouTube," 30 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'anecdote.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

The Greek Smear Job at the Root of anecdote

The Byzantine official Procopius wrote three historical works in Greek. In the first two, he dealt with wars and public works projects, but the third was something of a departure from this kind of history. Referred to as "Anekdota," from the Greek a- meaning "not," and ekdidonai, meaning "to publish," it contained bitter attacks on the emperor Justinian, his wife, and other notables of contemporary Constantinople. Understandably, it was not published until after its writer's death. English speakers originally used an anglicized version of the book's name for similar secret or unpublished histories or biographies, and by the 17th century, the meaning of anecdote had been broadened to cover any interesting or amusing personal tale.

Origin and Etymology of anecdote

French, from Greek anekdota unpublished items, from neuter plural of anekdotos unpublished, from a- + ekdidonai to publish, from ex out + didonai to give — more at ex-, date

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1721

See Words from the same year