ANECDOTE Definition & Meaning

View synonyms for

anecdote

[an-ik-doht]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

plural

anecdotes, anecdota

a short account of a particular incident or event, especially of an interesting or amusing nature.
a short, obscure historical or biographical account.

anecdote

/ ˈæ��ɪ��ˌ��əʊ�� /

noun

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

Discover More

Other 51�Թ� Forms

ˌ��Ա�ˈ��ǳپ�� adjective
ˌ��Ա�ˈ��ǳٲ�� noun

Discover More

51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of anecdote¹

First recorded in 1670–80; from New Latin anecdota or French anecdotes, from Late Greek, Greek ��é��ǳٲ� “things unpublished” (referring particularly to Procopius's unpublished memoirs of Justinian and Theodora), neuter plural of ��é��ǳٴǲ�, equivalent to an- an- ¹ + é��ǳٴǲ� “given out,” adjective derivative of ��徱��ó�Բ�� “to give out,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

Discover More

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C17: from Medieval Latin anecdota unpublished items, from Greek anekdotos unpublished, from _an- + ekdotos published, from ekdidonai, from ek- out + didonai to give

Discover More

Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Recently, sportswriter Michael Bamberger brought the essence of the story right up to our own time with this anecdote:

From

She then had to try to convince the opposing team that her anecdote was true.

From

He leads us through a grove of anecdotes, some more meaningful than others.

From

Nadal later gave an amusing anecdote which offered further insight into his friendship with Murray.

From

While many Democrats are still reluctant to go on the record about what they knew about Biden and when they knew it, the floodgate of anecdotes opened after the election.

From

Related 51�Թ�s

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

anecdotally anecdotic

Browse