encyclopedia

noun

Definition of encyclopedianext
as in dictionary
a reference work that contains information about many different subjects or a lot of information about a particular subject The school library's encyclopedia occupied much of the bookshelf. an encyclopedia of literature

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of encyclopedia That was my pre-internet encyclopedia, going through microfilms and doing research. — Andy Battaglia, ARTnews.com, 8 June 2026 Gates worked as a multimedia product developer for Microsoft in the 1980s, working on projects that included the company’s word processing software, Microsoft Word, and the company’s encyclopedia project, Encarta. — Julian McKenzie, New York Times, 1 June 2026 Wikipedia editors are discussing a strike and have even suggested changing its fundraising banners to critique recent layoffs at the Wikimedia Foundation, which maintains the online encyclopedia. — Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 30 May 2026 Some encyclopedia, to have plenty of toilet paper. — Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 28 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for encyclopedia
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encyclopedia
  1. dictionary
  2. catalog
  3. book
  4. textbook
Noun
  • Let Maggie Gyllenhaal ​adapt The Bell Jar • Why Soledad Acosta de Samper’s Dolores is a unicorn to translators​ • Ed Simon explores​ Noah Webster’s dictionary • Can American presidents ​declare war?
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 July 2026
  • Christmas hams, party cocktails, elegant layer cakes, and cookout classics fill the dictionaries of Southern family recipes, but one of my favorites is a simple vinaigrette from my grandmother.
    — Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 2 July 2026
Definition of dictionary
Noun
  • The company said its AI Personal Stylist recommends exclusively from the products available in its live catalog, which is not just limited to apparel, but also includes footwear and accessories.
    — Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 10 July 2026
  • British fans of the one-time One Direction member celebrated the end of his London concerts by returning to his solo catalog.
    — Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
Definition of catalog
Noun
  • The first season adapts the events of the first book and sets up the potential for a second season based on the sequel, On The Banks of Plum Creek.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 12 July 2026
  • The outsider artist—which really does feel like the best way to describe her work as composer, book writer, and star—is Jennifer Nettles, half of the country-music band Sugarland, who has also pursued a career as an actor.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 11 July 2026
Definition of book
Noun
  • The forthcoming book will tell American history through the lives of everyday people, especially those whose stories have often been left out of traditional textbooks.
    — Amara Evering, Miami Herald, 11 July 2026
  • Medical textbooks of the time said that operating on a human heart was too dangerous, and there was no precedent for opening the chest, longtime Tribune science and medical reporter Ronald Kotulak wrote more than a century later.
    — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2026
Definition of textbook

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Cite this Entry

“Encyclopedia.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encyclopedia. Accessed 14 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on encyclopedia

Nglish: Translation of encyclopedia for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about encyclopedia

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