A "Shaggy Dog Story" is a type of humorous tale that typically features a long, elaborate narrative leading to an anticlimactic or trivial conclusion. The story often includes numerous digressions and details that seem important but ultimately serve no purpose in the resolution. This style of storytelling plays with the audience's expectations, building up to a punchline that is unexpectedly mundane. The term originated from a specific type of joke involving a shaggy dog, where the story's length and complexity create anticipation. Over time, it has come to describe any story that follows this pattern, regardless of the subject matter. Examples can be found in various forms of media, including literature and stand-up comedy.