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Testimony vs Anecdote - What's the difference?

testimony | anecdote |

As nouns the difference between testimony and anecdote

is that testimony is statements made by a witness in court while anecdote is a short account of a real incident or person, often humorous or interesting.

testimony

Alternative forms

* testimonie (obsolete)

Noun

(testimonies)
  • (legal) statements made by a witness in court.
  • * {{quote-news
  • , date = 21 August 2012 , first = Ed , last = Pilkington , title = Death penalty on trial: should Reggie Clemons live or die? , newspaper = The Guardian , url = http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/aug/21/death-penalty-trial-reggie-clemons?newsfeed=true , page = , passage = The Missouri prosecutors' case against Clemons, based partly on incriminating testimony given by his co-defendants, was that Clemons was part of a group of four youths who accosted the sisters on the Chain of Rocks Bridge one dark night in April 1991. }}
  • An account of first-hand experience.
  • * Milton
  • [Thou] for the testimony of truth, hast borne / Universal reproach.
  • In a church service, a personal account, such as of one's conversion.
  • Witness; evidence; proof of some fact.
  • * Bible Mark vi. 11
  • When ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them.

    Derived terms

    * compel testimony * testimonial

    anecdote

    Alternative forms

    * anecdota * anecdoton (Grecian) * anecdotum

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A short account of a real incident or person, often humorous or interesting.
  • An account which supports an argument, but which is not supported by scientific or statistical analysis.
  • A previously untold secret account of an incident.
  • Derived terms

    * anecdotage * anecdotal * anecdotalism * anecdotally * anecdotard * anecdotarian * anecdoter * anecdotic * anecdotical * anecdotish (rare) * anecdotist * anecdotive (rare) * anecdotographer