encyclopedia

noun

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

: 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

According to the Italian encyclopedia Treccani, a trattoria is generally more modest than a ristorante and is always autonomous (i.e. not connected to a hotel, train station, ship, etc.). —Laura Itzkowitz, Travel + Leisure, 3 Apr. 2024

To press the florals, lay out blooms and greenery from your bouquet on clean wax paper in a heavy book like an encyclopedia or textbook. —Shelby Wax, Vogue, 1 Apr. 2024

Through lists, through catalogs, through collections in museums and through encyclopedias and dictionaries. —Kanya Kanchana, Longreads, 21 Mar. 2024

Some called him the Highbrow Hobo, others a curbstone orator, a walking encyclopedia, or a human history book. —Michael Jackman, Detroit Free Press, 9 Mar. 2024

Sunday breakfast conversations often led to one of us grabbing the dictionary or encyclopedia to learn about a topic. —Pedro Canahuati, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024

Remembering her father as a walking encyclopedia of all things music, his daughter will miss having him around as the life of the party and the heart of the family. —J.m. Banks, Kansas City Star, 4 Feb. 2024

The term ‘femicide’ – which is typically when a woman is killed by a current or former partner - became so topical an Italian encyclopedia named it as its word of the year in 2023. —Antonia Mortensen, CNN, 9 Mar. 2024

There are about 200,000 middle-market firms in the U.S., mostly privately owned or closely-held, according to Investopedia, an online encyclopedia for the financial services sector. —Lawrence Carrel, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin encyclopaedia course of general education, from Greek enkyklios + paideia education, child rearing, from paid-, pais child — more at few

First Known Use

1644, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

encyclopedia

noun

en·​cy·​clo·​pe·​dia

variants also encyclopaedia

in-ˌsī-klə-ˈpēd-ē-ə

: a work that contains information on all subjects or one that covers a certain subject thoroughly usually with articles arranged alphabetically

Etymology

from Latin encyclopedia "course of general education," from Greek enkyklios "general, all-around," literally, "circular" and Greek paideia "education, child rearing"