anecdotum

English

Alternative forms

• anecdoton (Grecian)

Etymology

Back-formation from anecdota, reinterpreting the nominative neuter plural case ending -a as a Latin case ending (singular: -um), rather than (as is etymologically-consistent) as an Ancient Greek case ending (singular: -on, from -ον (-on)); perhaps reinforced by Latin anecdotum.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /əˈnɛkdətəm/

Noun

anecdotum (plural anecdota)

1. (rare, Latinate) Alternative spelling of anecdote
   • 1837, Friedrich Adolf Ebert, Arthur Browne, A General Bibliographical Dictionary, entry 8,304, page 633:

     Ang. Mai published it anew by mistake as an anecdotum, under the title, Philonis Judæi de virtute ejusque partibus.

   • 1965, David Roy Shackleton Bailey, Cicero’s Letters to Atticus, 371 (xiv. 17) — Pompeii, 3 May 44 — cicero to atticus: ¶ 6, page 49 ^〃 (University Press)

     I have not yet quite polished that anecdotum of mine to my satisfaction.

Latin

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἀνέκδοτος (anékdotos, “accounts unpublished”), from ᾰ̓ν- (an-, “negative prefix”) (English an-) + ἔκδοτος (ékdotos, “published”), from ἐκδῐ́δωμῐ (ekdídōmi, “to publish”), from ἐκ (ek, “out”) +‎ δῐ́δωμῐ (dídōmi, “to give”).

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /aˈnek.do.tum/, [äˈnɛɡd̪ɔt̪ʊ̃ˑ]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /aˈnek.do.tum/, [äˈnɛkd̪ot̪um]

Noun

anecdotum n (genitive anecdotī); second declension

1. a short story or narrative, anecdote

Declension

Second-declension noun (neuter).

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	anecdotum	anecdota
Genitive	anecdotī	anecdotōrum
Dative	anecdotō	anecdotīs
Accusative	anecdotum	anecdota
Ablative	anecdotō	anecdotīs
Vocative	anecdotum	anecdota

Synonyms

• (short story): fābella, narrātiuncula