Anekdoton

Anekdoton is a term of Greek origin that appears in academic discussions of ancient literature and textual criticism. It is linked to the Greek word anekdotos, meaning “unpublished” or “not issued.” In this sense, anekdoton can refer to a piece of information, a tale, or an anecdote that circulated in oral or unedited form but was not included in the canonical or published body of work. The more common Greek plural form is anekdota (ἀνεκδότα), which is usually translated as “anecdotes,” although it historically denotes unpublished pieces or reports.

In scholarly usage, anekdoton or anekdota designates material that exists outside the standard editions of a text; it may be quoted by later authors or preserved in marginalia, papyri, or scholia. It contrasts with ekdotos, “published” content.

The term is sometimes encountered in philological literature as a label for various unreleased or marginal information about ancient authors, events, or sayings. In contemporary English-language writing, the term is infrequent and may be encountered mainly in discussions of Greek linguistic forms or in historical overviews of anecdotal traditions. It is distinct from the modern English word anecdote, though etymologically related.