🇬🇧🇪🇸 anecdote - anécdota : English Lesson

Meaning of "anecdote" ("anécdota"), detailed definition, and a short video lesson below.

An anecdote is a short story you tell about something that actually happened, usually to make people laugh or to explain a point. It’s not a long, made‑up fairy tale; it’s a quick, true story about a real person doing something interesting, silly, or surprising. People often share anecdotes at dinner, in class, or with friends to entertain others or to help them understand an idea.

Watch and listen to this English flashcard to understand the word in more detail, with an easy example sentence.

My favorite bedtime anecdote is about the time my cousin tried to microwave ice cream to “make it colder.”

My brother keeps repeating his heroic anecdote about defeating a spider the size of a raisin with a plastic cup.

Mom’s favorite anecdote is about me as a baby, trying to eat a sock and looking offended when it didn’t taste good.

My brother’s best anecdote is about the day he waved at a mannequin before realizing it was plastic.

On the bus, I shared an anecdote about my backpack getting stuck in the door while the rest of me kept walking.

At the dinner table, Tom told an anecdote about a falling hat, then another anecdote about a wrong wedding cake. Each anecdote grew funnier as he added small details; people leaned in. A child asked for one more anecdote. Tom grinned, delivered a final anecdote about his own scar, and everyone laughed until they cried.

This word is at the C2 level, which means it represents the highest mastery of English. It’s often used in specialized or highly formal contexts and helps you communicate with precision and subtlety, much like a native speaker.

Expanding your English vocabulary is one of the best ways to improve your pronunciation, spelling, and confidence in English. Watch the video above to memorize the word, understand its meaning, and see example sentences in action. Discover related words to grow your vocabulary naturally. Add words to your playlist for stress-free, effective learning—anytime, anywhere! Watch, learn, repeat.