Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A comprehensive reference work containing articles on a wide range of subjects or on numerous aspects of a particular field, usually arranged alphabetically.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The circle of sciences; a general system of instruction in several or all departments of knowledge.
  • noun Specifically A work in which the various topics included under several or all branches of knowledge are treated separately, and usually in alphabetical order.
  • noun In a narrower sense, a cyclopedia. See cyclopedia
  • noun Abbreviated enc., ency., encyc.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun The circle of arts and sciences; a comprehensive summary of knowledge, or of a branch of knowledge; esp., a work in which the various branches of science or art are discussed separately, and usually in alphabetical order; a cyclopedia.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A comprehensive reference work (often spanning several printed volumes) with in-depth articles (usually arranged in alphabetical order, or sometimes arranged by category) on a range of subjects, sometimes general, sometimes limited to a particular field.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a reference work (often in several volumes) containing articles on various topics (often arranged in alphabetical order) dealing with the entire range of human knowledge or with some particular specialty

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Medieval Latin encyclopaedia, general education course, from alteration of Greek enkuklios paideia, general education : enkuklios, circular, general; see encyclical + paideia, education (from pais, paid-, child; see pau- in Indo-European roots).]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin encyclopaedia, from Ancient Greek ἐγκύκλιος παιδεία (enkuklios paideia, "the circle of arts and sciences, curriculum"), from ἐγκύκλιος (enkuklios, "circular, rounded, round"), from κύκλος (kuklos, "circle") + παιδεία (paideia, "the rearing of a child, education"), from παιδίον (paidion, "child").

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word encyclopedia.

Examples

  • NOTE: The title encyclopedia was verbally given to me by my close friends and my close relatives since my close friends

    Yahoo! Answers: Latest Questions 2010

  • NOTE: The title encyclopedia was verbally given to me by my close friends and my close relatives since my close friends & close relatives admire/recognise my knowledge.

    Yahoo! Answers: Latest Questions 2010

  • NOTE: The title encyclopedia was verbally given to me by my close friends and my close relatives since my close friends & close relatives admire/recognise my knowledge.

    Yahoo! Answers: Latest Questions 2009

  • The prime mover and longtime editor of the encyclopedia is a soft-spoken Anglican Charismatic named David B. Barrett.

    Oh, Gods! 2002

  • The prime mover and longtime editor of the encyclopedia is a soft-spoken Anglican Charismatic named David B. Barrett.

    Oh, Gods! 2002

  • The smallest lizard they show in the encyclopedia is about six inches long, and it says lizards are reptiles and have scales and claws and should not be confused with salamanders, which are amphibians and have thin moist skin and no claws.

    It's Like This, Cat 1963

  • The influential online encyclopedia is written and edited by anyone with an Internet connection, and contributors are supposed to stick to a fair recitation of the facts.

    WikiPropaganda 2010

  • But online encyclopedia is only one use of a wiki.

    Wikis. Awesome. « 2009

  • Remember, every entry on Wiki and every encyclopedia is “biased information.”

    Waldo Jaquith - Dave Albo vs. Wikipedia. 2008

  • When the encyclopedia is complete in 2009, it will include:

    The Oregon Encyclopedia 2008

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.