Added 9 October 2026
encyclopedia
/ɪnˌsaɪkləˈpiːdi.ə/ noun
In Latin: encyclopaedīa, pandectēs Wiktionary
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about encyclopedia at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
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A comprehensive reference work (often spanning several printed volumes) with articles (usually arranged in alphabetical order, or sometimes arranged by category) on a range of subjects, sometimes general, sometimes limited to a particular field.
I only use the library for the encyclopedia, as we’ve got most other books here.
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Similarly comprehensive works in other formats.
Wikipedia is an online encyclopedia that anyone can edit.
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The circle of arts and sciences (see Etymology); a comprehensive summary of knowledge, or of a branch thereof.
His life's work is a four-volume encyclopedia of aviation topics.
Origin
Ancient Greek ἐγκύκλιος παιδείᾱ (enkúklios paideíā)bor. Borrowed from New Latin encyclopēdīa, encyclopaedīa (“general education”), a univerbated form of Koine Greek ἐγκύκλιος παιδείᾱ (enkúklios paideíā, “education in the circle of arts and sciences”), from Ancient Greek ἐγκύκλιος (enkúklios, “circular”) + παιδείᾱ (paideíā, “childrearing; education”) (q.v.). Nearly all modern English usage of the word was influenced by the scope and format of the French Encyclopédie by Diderot et al. (see quotation).
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)