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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Example Sentences

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 The ban won’t cover online encyclopedias, or educational or scientific directories. — Samuel Petrequin, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026 The ban won’t cover online encyclopedias, educational or scientific directories, or platforms for the development and sharing of open-source software. — Samuel Petrequin, Fortune, 20 July 2026 Mature trees donate an encyclopedia of species, including the regional pines and chestnuts planted on instruction of Empress Maria Theresa of Austria in the 1700s. — Nielsen Dinwoodie, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026 The team here delivers an encyclopedia of sublime services, from Ayurvedic massages to 24k gold facials. — Katie Lockhart, Robb Report, 16 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for encyclopedia
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encyclopedia
  1. dictionary
  2. catalog
  3. book
  4. textbook
Noun
  • That dictionary someone gave Joe for his big day might have gathered dust on his shelves back in Highgate for a week or so.
    — Ben Jureidini, Vanity Fair, 15 Aug. 2026
  • After refining their word-swapping dictionary over three months, the ShieldFont creators ended up with a list of nearly 12,000 common words that can be replaced with ligatures.
    — Kyle Orland, ArsTechnica, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of dictionary
Noun
  • Organizers have not released a comprehensive price catalog, but The Athletic, via screen recordings, screenshots and information from fans, revealed many of the prices in late July.
    — Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Crucially, this semantic pillar cannot remain a static repository like the passive data catalogs of the past.
    — Barney Krishnan, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of catalog
Noun
  • Inside, antique art hangs on walls, tamgroute (local pottery) lines small alcoves, board games are stacked inside cupboards, and coffee table books have plenty to dive into.
    — Katie Silcox, Vogue, 23 Aug. 2026
  • What books or recent reading projects have been particularly meaningful experiences to you?
    — Geoffrey O’Brien, The New York Review of Books, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of book
Noun
  • To find out what changes were made, WUSF and Hechinger requested correspondence under the state public records law between the FDOE and the publishers of textbooks most likely to cover climate change.
    — Jessica Meszaros, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Historically, the representation of melanin-rich skin in dermatology textbooks and clinical image databases has been lacking.
    — Ayren Jackson-Cannady, Allure, 20 Aug. 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 25 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on encyclopedia

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about encyclopedia

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