anecdote
n. countablen. a short, interesting story about a real person or event. You often tell one to make a point or to make people laugh.
n. a brief narrative account of an interesting or amusing incident, often used to illustrate a point or support an argument. Frequently contrasted with empirical data or scientific evidence.
He told a funny anecdote about his first day at work.
The speaker opened her presentation with a personal anecdote to build a connection with the audience.
While the researcher shared a compelling anecdote about a patient's recovery, the board requested statistical data to verify if the treatment was effective across a larger population.
Late 17ᵗʰ c., from French anecdote, from Ancient Greek ἀνέκδοτος (anékdotos, “accounts unpublished”), from ἀν- (an-, “not, un-”) + ἔκδοτος (ékdotos, “published”), from ἐκδίδωμι (ekdídōmi, “I publish”), from ἐκ- (ek-, “out”) + δίδωμι (dídōmi, “I give”).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.
Often paired with the verbs 'tell', 'share', or 'recount'.