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

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

"Anecdotal reports can serve as important indicators of environmental health problems," she says, but stresses that without systematic data collection, establishing evidence of a causal relationship is difficult.

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