anecdotal

[ an-ik-doht-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. Compare narrative ( def 7 ).
3. based on personal observation, case study reports, or random investigations rather than systematic scientific evaluation:

   anecdotal evidence.

anecdotal

/ ˌænɛkˈdəʊtəl /

adjective

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

Other Words From

• an·ec·do·tal·ism noun
• an·ec·do·tal·ly adverb
• un·an·ec·do·tal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of anecdotal¹

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

Example Sentences

And from my own anecdotal evidence — working in preschools and schools throughout the U.S. and speaking with friends and family members back in the States — it does seem that European approaches are working better.

From Salon

The latest ONS figures are supported by anecdotal reports that some businesses, already facing higher costs, paused hiring ahead of the Budget.

From BBC

As the data is not recorded systematically, it is not clear whether these anecdotal reports indicate an unusually high prevalence of congenital abnormalities.

From BBC

According to NAS, there are about 200 children waiting to be adopted, with anecdotal evidence suggesting some are not registering as prospective adopters because of the cost of living.

From BBC

"This is anecdotal. I'm not a sociologist," she added.

From BBC

Related Words

• unreliable
• unscientific

More About Anecdotal

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.

Where does anecdotal come from?

The first records of the term anecdotal come from around 1830. It combines the word anecdote, meaning “a short account of an incident or event,” and the suffix –al, meaning “of the kind of, pertaining to.”

You might also come across anecdotal in discussions about legal cases. In a legal context, something is considered anecdotal if it is based on a bias of any kind, involves uncorroborated circumstances, or is irrelevant to the topic being discussed. Oftentimes, personal accounts of experience with a plaintiff or defendant will be deleted from the record if they are anecdotal.

Did you know … ?

What are some other forms related to anecdotal?

• anecdotalism (noun)
• anecdotally (adverb)
• unanecdotal (adjective)

What are some synonyms for anecdotal?

• informal
• unreliable
• unscientific

What are some words that share a root or word element with anecdotal?

• anecdote
• anecdotic
• anecdotist

What are some words that often get used in discussing anecdotal?

• evidence
• experience
• funny
• secondhand

What are some words anecdotal may be commonly confused with?

• antidotal

How is anecdotal used in real life?

Anecdotal is commonly used in recounting, history, and reports about events, often in the context of a short, fun story.

Thoughts on the 2021 Web Almanac Jamstack chapter: https://t.co/bjpzdbvMoH

"Nuxt.js covers 52.6% of Jamstack sites. Next.js is in second place with 36.8%, third is Gatsby with 6.7%, followed by Hugo at 2.5%." A bit shocking. Anecdotal evidence suggests Next is the most popular. pic.twitter.com/8pufYImJzL

— Brian Rinaldi (@remotesynth) December 3, 2021

Feel like I'm reading some anecdotal style dystopian horror novel every time I look at my feed.

— Lights (@lights) July 8, 2016

Purely anecdotal but I'm guessing the greater Phoenix area has the highest white sunglasses density in the country

— Big Cat (@BarstoolBigCat) March 8, 2017

 

Try using anecdotal!

True or False?

Anecdotal evidence is based on a systematic, scientific evaluation.