'anecdotalism' originates from English, specifically from the word 'anecdotal' with the suffix '-ism', where 'anecdotal' is derived from 'anecdote' meaning 'a short, amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person'.

'anecdotal' comes from the French word 'anecdotique', which in turn comes from the Greek word 'anekdota', meaning 'unpublished items'. The suffix '-ism' was added in English to form 'anecdotalism'.

Initially, it referred to the use of anecdotes, but over time it evolved to mean a reliance on anecdotes rather than systematic evidence.