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Did you know that "factoid" means "item that looks like a fact but is not a fact."
It was coined to refer to made-up blurbs in gossips rags presented as true reporting.
Like all other "-oid" words, android, meteoroid, alkaloid, it means 'similar but not the thing...'
It's a pet peeve of mine that people routinely use it incorrectly to mean "little fact."
Why not "factlet" or "factette" or just "fact?"
When you say "Here's a factoid for you..." you are saying "Here's a lie..."
. . .Or are all the statements in this thread false, and I missed the gag....?
ApK
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