Anecdotum

Pronunciation

• RP IPA: /əˈnÉ›kdÉ™tÉ™m/

Alternative forms

• anecdoton Grecian

Origin

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); perhaps reinforced by Latin anecdotum.

Full definition of anecdotum

Noun

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

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