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?

We can thank Norman Mailer for factoid: he used the word in his 1973 book Marilyn (about Marilyn Monroe), and he is believed to be the coiner of the word. In the book, he explains that factoids are "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

Fun factoid: Eva Longoria (pre-Desperate Housewives) joined the cast in season two as Det. —Marc Berman, Forbes, 12 Jan. 2025

That factoid is soon made very, very clear; the slide and the ball pit are also red, as is the huge sectional at the center of the family room, the chandelier above, the velvet ropes that partition the area, the dramatically swooping drapes, and the nearby pair of ginormous bean bags. —Katie Schultz, Architectural Digest, 7 Jan. 2025

Read More: ‘American Primeval’ Trailer Released By Netflix Interesting factoid: A age 76, Tovah Feldshah is 18 years older than Paul Ben-Victor (who is only 14 years the senior of his TV son Adam Brody!). —Marc Berman, Forbes, 1 Jan. 2025

Straight from the hotel docks, our captain showed us around the various villas and properties dotted around the lake, peppering in some historical and pop-culture factoids, like how the idyllic Villa Balbianello was featured in the Star Wars prequel films. —Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 7 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

fact + -oid entry 1

First Known Use

1973, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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