encyclopedia

noun

en·cy·clo·pe·dia | \ in-ˌsī-klə-ˈpē-dē-ə

Definition of encyclopedia

: a work that contains information on all branches of knowledge or treats comprehensively a particular branch of knowledge usually in articles arranged alphabetically often by subject

Examples of encyclopedia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web As with Exposition, Suite for Barbara Loden is predicated on an assignment: the editor of a film encyclopedia has asked Léger to write a short biographical note about Loden. — Nicole Rudick, The New York Review of Books, 3 Aug. 2021 As the Lubavitch movement grew, Rabbi Schneerson asked Rabbi Kahn to lead the production of an encyclopedia of Hasidic ideas and principles, titled Sefer Ha’Arachim. — New York Times, 26 July 2021 Disenchanted with life in Hollywood, The Group moved to Arkansas in 1968 and established a number of successful businesses over the years, including the internet service provider Aristotle Inc., according to the encyclopedia article. — Bill Bowden, Arkansas Online, 18 July 2021 Though the Modell name no longer is used on The Lyric’s website, the Modell name can still be found on such external sources as the tourism organization Visit Baltimore and the free online encyclopedia Wikipedia. — Mary Carole Mccauley, baltimoresun.com, 20 Apr. 2021 Running more than 560 pages and printed according to the same dimensions as the original magazine, the tome is massive—not unlike a bygone encyclopedia that might have contained all the knowledge of the ancient world. — Amy Verner, Vogue, 24 June 2021 Today, the online encyclopedia officially turns 20 years old, on the date known as Wikipedia Day. — Stephen Harrison, Wired, 15 Jan. 2021 Indeed, the scope of the guides—from travel advice to history to cultural encyclopedia—embraced a maximalism that seemed to wish away the scarcity of the Depression. — Max Holleran, The New Republic, 15 June 2021 It’s a marketplace, social media site, and encyclopedia for records and other physical media formats. — Orlando Mendiola, Wired, 1 June 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'encyclopedia.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

19 Aug 2021

Cite this Entry

“Encyclopedia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/encyclopedia. Accessed 28 Aug. 2021.

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More Definitions for encyclopedia

encyclopedia

noun

English Language Learners Definition of encyclopedia

: a reference work (such as a book, series of books, Web site, or CD-ROM) that contains information about many different subjects or a lot of information about a particular subject

See the full definition for encyclopedia in the English Language Learners Dictionary

encyclopedia

noun

en·cy·clo·pe·dia | \ in-ˌsī-klə-ˈpē-dē-ə