Dictionary

encyclopedia en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ənˌsəɪkləˈpidi.ə/ (Canada)
• (US) audio
• /ɪnˌsaɪkləˈpiːdi.ə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ɪnˌsaɪkləˈpidi.ə/ (US)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁én Ancient Greek ἐν (en) Ancient Greek ἐν- (en-) Proto-Indo-European *kʷelh₁-redup. Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *kʷékʷlos Proto-Hellenic *kʷókʷlos Proto-Hellenic *kúklos Ancient Greek κύκλος (kúklos) Proto-Indo-European *-yósder. Ancient Greek -ῐος (-ĭos) Ancient Greek ἐγκύκλῐος (enkúklĭos) Proto-Indo-European *peh₂w-der. Proto-Hellenic *pā́wits Ancient Greek παῖς (paîs) Pre-Greekder.? Proto-Hellenic *-eús Ancient Greek -εύς (-eús) Ancient Greek -εύω (-eúō) Ancient Greek παιδεύω (paideúō) Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-i-eh₂ Proto-Hellenic *-íā Ancient Greek -ία (-ía) Ancient Greek παιδείᾱ (paideíā) Ancient Greek ἐγκύκλιος παιδείᾱ (enkúklios paideíā)bor. New Latin encyclopaedīalbor. English encyclopedia 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).

Meanings

1. 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.
   • The first encyclopædia written in English and with the articles alphabetically arranged was the ‘Lexicon Technicum,’ […] [in 1704], by John Harris, a London clergyman. This was a useful and popular work, though it omitted from its scope theology, biography, antiquity and poetry. 1920, George Edwin Rines, editor, Encyclopedia Americana^(https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Encyclopedia_Americana_(1920)), Volume X: Egusquiza – Falsetto, Encyclopædia:
   • [The Origins] can best be summarized, maybe, as an encyclopedia in the guise of an etymological dictionary, by a writer already centuries removed from some of his material. 2018 May 20, Bill Thayer, “Isidore of Seville: The Etymologies (or Origins)”, in LacusCurtius, archived from the original on 13 Jul 2012:
   • Encyclopedias were the original worldwide web. […] There was a time when you couldn't connect to the rest of the world and encyclopedias gave you that insight and they contained what people knew about everything. 2018 July 5, Justin Zackal, quoting Jason Hilton (Assoc. Prof. of Education), “Encyclop[a]edia Britannica celebrates 250th anniversary”, in SRU News, Slippery Rock: Slippery Rock University, archived from the original on 01 Mar 2024:
   • It would be easier to compile an encyclopedia for you than to write these longhand letters whose ink blackens the night. 1998, “Desire”, in Billy Collins (lyrics), Tom Cipullo (music), Another Reason Why I Don't Keep a Gun in the House, performed by Matthew Morris (baritone) and Sungha Lee (pianist), Pepperdine University, Los Angeles: SongFest:
   • My old encyclopedia has been gathering dust on the shelf for the past decade.
   • Pliny the Elder’s Natural History is a go-to source for understanding what ancient Romans believed about the world and the model for every encyclopedia since. 2025 March 5, Livia Gershon, “The Numinous World of Pliny the Elder”, in JSTOR Daily, archived from the original on 06 Apr 2025:
   • I only use the library for the encyclopedia, as we’ve got most other books here.
   • The Encyclopedia which we are presenting to the public is, as its title declares, the work of a society of men of letters. Were we not of their number, we might venture to affirm that they are all favorably known or worthy of being so. 1751, Jean-Baptiste le Rond d'Alembert, “Discours Préliminaire”, in Richard N. Schwab, Walter E. Rex., transl., Encyclopédie ou Dictionnaire raisonné des sciences, des arts et des métiers, volume 1, Paris, pages 1–45; republished as “Preliminary Discourse”, in The Encyclopedia of Diderot & d'Alembert Collaborative Translation Project (Web), Ann Arbor: Michigan Publishing, University of Michigan Library, 18 April 2009:
2. Similarly comprehensive works in other formats.
   • The ancient Mesopotamians never got to write an encyclopedia on stone.
   • Wikipedia is an online encyclopedia that anyone can edit.
   • To gain market share, Microsoft gave away its CD-ROM encyclopedia with many new computers, a strategy similar to those it has used in other areas. 2009 April 15, Reid Goldsborough, “Internet Encyclopedias in Flux”, in InformationToday, archived from the original on 14 Aug 2024:
   • The anniversary also coincides with the 25th anniversary of Britannica Online (eb.com), the first encyclopedia on the Internet and one of the first major publications on the World Wide Web. 2018 December 6, Encyclopaedia Britannica Group, “Encyclopaedia Britannica to Mark 250th Anniversary and 25th Year on the Internet”, in PR Newswire, Cision US Inc., archived from the original on 05 Dec 2024:
   • The New Georgia Encyclopedia, which describes itself as “the first state encyclopedia designed exclusively for online publication,” went live in 2004. 2019 September 14, Esther Ferington, “Online State Encyclopedias”, in NEH Projects, National Endowment for the Humanities, archived from the original on 29 Mar 2025:
3. (dated, specifically) 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.
   • Since the publication of the second edition of the encyclopedia, there have been numerous developments in the obesity and eating disorders field. 2009, Dana K. Cassell and David H. Gleaves, “FOREWORD”, in The Encyclopedia of Obesity and Eating Disorders, Third Edition (eBook), Ukraine: Facts On File, Inc., →ISBN, page viii:
   • All of the Indo-European languages treated in this encyclopedia are included in the alphabetic list of families and other large groupings in the last section of this article. 2006, B. J. Blake, “Classification of Languages”, in Keith Brown, Sarah Ogilvie, editors, Concise Encyclopedia of Languages of the World (eBook), La Trobe University, Bundoora: Elsevier Ltd., →ISBN, Genetic Classification, page 246; republished Amsterdam: Elsevier Science, 2010:
   • Daniel Bukszpan presents for your viewing and reading pleasure, The Encyclopedia of Heavy Metal. […] I see my own life reflected in the pages of the Encyclopedia. We all wanted to be bigger than life, but never as big as our heroes. 2003, Ronnie James Dio, “Foreword”, in Daniel Bukszpan, The Encyclopedia of Heavy Metal (Paperback), United States: Sterling, →ISBN, page 13:
   • I have no idea how to build this model railroad, so I'm gonna look it up on Trainpedia, the encyclopedia for all things model train.

Forms

Deriveds

-pedia · encyclopedist · Wikipedia · xenoencyclopedia · encyclopedic dictionary · walking encyclopedia · encyclopedical · encyclopedic · encyclopedian · encyclopedialike · encyclopedial · encyclopedic fiction

Relateds

pedo- · Paidia · paideia · -pedia · dictionary · pandect

Translations (184)

bqi دونسمندنامه (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · he אֶנְצִיקְלוֹפֶּדְיָה (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · vo züklopäod (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · de Lexikon (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · my စွယ်စုံကျမ်း (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · ko 백과전서 (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · az qamus (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · rue енціклопе́дія (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · sw ensaiklopidia (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · sv konversationslexikon (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · hi ज्ञानकोष (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · ota محیط المعارف (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · is alfræðiorðabók (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · nn encyklopedi (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · ug ئېنىسىكلوپېدىيە (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · an enciclopedia (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · vi bách khoa toàn thư (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · ko 백과사전 (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · az biliklik (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · az ensiklopediya (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · ace ènsiklopèdia (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · fi ensyklopedia (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · lt enciklopedija (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · se diehtosátnegirji (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · et entsüklopeedia (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · pt enciclopédia (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · be энцыкляпэ́дыя (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · af ensiklopedie (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · hac زانستنامە (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · de Realencyclopädie (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · km សៀវភៅប្រជុំវិជ្ជា (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · yue 百科事典 (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · ml സർവവിജ്ഞാനകോശം (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · tk ensiklopediýa (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · hy հանրագիտարան (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · ur قاموس الاحلام (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · bew ènsiklopédi (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · ka ენციკლოპედია (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · bn বিশ্বকোষ এনসাইক্লোপিডিয়া (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · it enciclopedia (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · ast enciclopedia (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · hi इनसाइक्लोपीडिया (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · fa-ira دانِشْنامِه (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · lld enziclopedia (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · li encyklopedie (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · ps پوهنغونډ (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · uz qomus (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · sv uppslagsverk (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · ur قامُوس (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · nv ínsadoobíídiiya (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · lrc دونسمنامٱ (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · fur enciclopedie (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · tl ensiklopedya (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · fi tietosanakirja (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · ml വിജ്ഞാനകോശം (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · fr encyclopédie (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · tg энсиклопедия (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · de Enzyklopädie (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · nl encyclopedie (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · mi mātāpunenga (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · ru энциклопе́дия (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · gl enciclopedia (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · bal زانتنامہ (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · mk енциклопе́дија (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · sh енциклопе́дија (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · hi साइक्लोपीडिया (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · bg енциклопе́дия (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · tl santalaalaman (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · tr ansiklopedi (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · cs encyklopedie (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · eu entziklopedia (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · lb Enzyklopedie (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · cv энциклопеди (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · fo alfrøðibók (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · pms enciclopedìa (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · krc энциклопедия (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · na entsikropidiya (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · de Konversationslexikon (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · tt энциклопедия (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · olo tiedosanakniigu (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · oc enciclopèdia (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · bm ɔnsiklopedi (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · lki زانستنۆمە (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · ga ciclipéid (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · es enciclopedia (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · ro enciclopedie (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · la pandectēs (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · nap enciclopedía (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · vo sikloped (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · sk encyklopédia (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · sw kamusi elezo (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · fa-ira آنْسیکْلوپِدی (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · tg доиратулмаориф (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · sah энциклопедия (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · ms jagat katan (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · ar دَائِرَة مَعَارِف (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · is alfræðibók (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · ca enciclopèdia (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · ug ئېنسىكلوپېدىيە (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · is alfræðirit (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · de Realwörterbuch (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · tg донишнома (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · hi विश्वकोष (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · ary موسوعة (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · lo ສາລານຸກົມ (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · kn ವಿಶ್ವಕೋಶ (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · ky энциклопедия (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · el εγκυκλοπαίδεια (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · brh zántgird (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · ckb زانستنامە (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · glk دانشنامه (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · da leksikon (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · an enziclopedia (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · sh enciklopédija (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · zza ensiklopediye (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · yue 百科全書 /百科全书 (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · hsb encyklopedija (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · yi ענציקלאָפּעדיע (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · ur احصاء العلوم (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · ti መዝገበ ፍልጠት (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · cy gwyddoniadur (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · sq enciklopedi (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · th สารานุกรม (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · az قاموس (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · uz ensiklopediya (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · eo enciklopedio (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · pl encyklopedia (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · mn нэвтэрхий толь (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · da encyklopædi (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · io enciklopedio (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · hu enciklopédia (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · ur موسوعہ (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · bal زانتگرد (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · lv enciklopēdija (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · vec ensiclopedia (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · ja 百科全書 (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · nb encyklopedi (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · te విజ్ఞానసర్వస్వం (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · fy ensyklopedy (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · la encyclopaedīa (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · ja 百科事典 (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · vec ençiclopedia (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · vo realasikloped (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · ug قامۇس (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · crh entsiklopediya (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · mzn دانشنومه (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · gsw Enzyklopädie (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · sl enciklopedija (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · grc πανδέκτης (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · fa-ira دائِرَةُالْمَعارِف (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · ur اِنْسائِیکِلوپِیڈْیا (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · cmn 百科全書 /百科全书 (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · ar مَوْسُوعَة (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · pa ਵਿਸ਼ਵਕੋਸ਼ (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · kmr zanistname (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · nah centlamatilizamoxtli (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · ur کِتابُ الْمَعارِف (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · kk энциклопедия (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · sa विश्वकोश (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · ia encyclopedia (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · lad ansiklopedia (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · ur دائِرَۃُ الْمَعارِف (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · hi विश्वकोश (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · sv encyklopedi (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · ht ansiklopedi (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · cu єнкѷклопєдїꙗ (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · sc entziclopedia (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · dsb encyklopedija (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · ti ኢንሳይክሎፐድያ (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · zea encyclopedie (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · am መዝገበ ዕውቀት (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · id ensiklopedia (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · pap ensiklopedia (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · myv содамкундо (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · sdh زانستنامە (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · nds nokieksel (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · os энциклопеди (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · be энцыклапе́дыя (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · ms ensiklopedia (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · uk енциклопе́дія (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · fa-ira دایِرَةُالْمَعارِف (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · km វិជ្ជាសមោធាន (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · br holloueziadur (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics) · hu lexikon (comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics)

wikipedia: Diderot · wikipedia: Encyclopédie