factoid

noun

fac·​toid ˈfak-ˌtȯid 

1

: an invented fact believed to be true because it appears in print

2

: a briefly stated and usually trivial fact

Did you know?

Did you know that Norman Mailer coined the word factoid?

In his 1973 book Marilyn (about Marilyn Monroe), Norman Mailer describes factoids as "facts which have no existence before appearing in a magazine or newspaper, creations which are not so much lies as a product to manipulate emotion in the Silent Majority." Mailer's use of the -oid suffix (which traces back to the ancient Greek word eidos, meaning "appearance" or "form") follows in the pattern of humanoid: just as a humanoid appears to be human but is not, a factoid appears to be factual but is not. The word has since evolved so that now it most often refers to things that decidedly are facts, just not ones that are significant.

Examples of factoid in a Sentence

The book is really just a collection of interesting factoids.

Recent Examples on the Web

Jamie Lee Curtis ends the In Memorian tribute with this incredible factoid about the late Rob Reiner. — Vulture Staff, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2026

Those Kroenke-nomic factoids present a new wrinkle in the seemingly endless opera of keeping Major League Baseball (or, short of that, the Angels) in Anaheim. — Andre Mouchard, Oc Register, 2 Sep. 2026

Parton’s goddaughter Miley Cyrus echoed this factoid in 2022. — Rance Collins, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Aug. 2026

Now, fans can be inundated with recruiting news and factoids just by hanging out on social media, to the point where you're almost beaten over the head with it on a near daily basis. — Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 30 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

fact + -oid entry 1

First Known Use

1973, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for factoid

• anaphylactoid

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Kids Definition

factoid

noun

fac·​toid ˈfak-ˌtȯid 

1

: a made-up piece of information thought to be true due to its appearance in print

2

: a brief often trivial news item