The word of the day is anecdote, defined as a short narrative about an interesting, funny, or biographical incident. Anecdotes often involve personal experiences or historical accounts. For example, stories about childhood mischief can be considered anecdotes. NASCAR driver Lavar Scott shared an anecdote about his grandmother flipping her Mustang during a race. This tale was met with laughter from the audience. The word anecdote has an interesting etymological history. It originates from the Greek adjective anekdotos, meaning "unpublished." This term was used for a work by the Byzantine historian Procopius. Procopius's work, titled Anekdota, contained unpublished, critical accounts of prominent figures. Initially, English speakers used the term for similar secret biographies. However, by the 17th century, the meaning evolved. It broadened to encompass brief, amusing, or interesting tales of events.