anecdotal

adjective

an·​ec·​dot·​al ˌa-nik-ˈdō-tᵊl 

1

: based on or consisting of reports or observations of usually unscientific observers

anecdotal evidence

health benefits that may be more anecdotal than factual

2

a

: of, relating to, or consisting of anecdotes

an anecdotal biography

b

: given to or skilled in telling anecdotes : anecdotic sense 2

my anecdotal uncle

3

: of, relating to, or being the depiction of a scene suggesting a story

anecdotal details

anecdotally

ˌa-nik-ˈdō-tᵊl-ē 

adverb

Examples of anecdotal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

There exists a whole canon of writing about how motherhood influences literary production (negatively, is the consensus), while accounts of any positive correlation between word- and human-generation are scattered and anecdotal. —Molly Young, New York Times, 30 Dec. 2024

Its goal is to bring the search for extraterrestrial technological signatures from accidental or anecdotal observations and legends to the mainstream of transparent, validated and systematic scientific research. —Leonard David, Space.com, 21 Dec. 2024

Lots of information can be found for free online, and more anecdotal tales can be found in books like Terra Incognita by Sarah Wheeler. —Will McGough, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2024

And for some who are eager to conceive, the anecdotal assurance may be enough. —Fiorella Valdesolo, Vogue, 20 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

see anecdote

First Known Use

1715, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Phrases Containing anecdotal

• anecdotal evidence