Anecdote

//ˈæn.ɪkˌdəʊt// noun, verb

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A short account of a real incident or person, often humorous or interesting. countable, uncountable

    "tell an anecdote"

  2. 2
    short account of an incident (especially a biographical one) wordnet
  3. 3
    An account which supports an argument, but which is not supported by scientific or statistical analysis. countable, uncountable
  4. 4
    A previously untold secret account of an incident. countable, uncountable
Verb
  1. 1
    To tell anecdotes (about). ambitransitive

    "They were all men of the same set, knowing one another intimately, and knowing the same people; so they fell to talking and anecdoting in such pleasant wise that dinner-time approached […]"

Etymology

Etymology 1

Late 17ᵗʰ c., from French anecdote, from Ancient Greek ἀνέκδοτος (anékdotos, “accounts unpublished”), from ἀν- (an-, “not, un-”) + ἔκδοτος (ékdotos, “published”), from ἐκδίδωμι (ekdídōmi, “I publish”), from ἐκ- (ek-, “out”) + δίδωμι (dídōmi, “I give”). Virtually identical cognates in other European languages – French anecdote, German Anekdote, Spanish anécdota, among others.

Etymology 2

Late 17ᵗʰ c., from French anecdote, from Ancient Greek ἀνέκδοτος (anékdotos, “accounts unpublished”), from ἀν- (an-, “not, un-”) + ἔκδοτος (ékdotos, “published”), from ἐκδίδωμι (ekdídōmi, “I publish”), from ἐκ- (ek-, “out”) + δίδωμι (dídōmi, “I give”). Virtually identical cognates in other European languages – French anecdote, German Anekdote, Spanish anécdota, among others.

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