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encyclopedia Definition

en·cy·clo·pedia (en sī′klə pēdē ə, in-)

noun

  1. a book or set of books giving information on all or many branches of knowledge, generally in articles alphabetically arranged
  2. a similar work giving information in a particular field of knowledge an encyclopedia of philosophy

Etymology: ModL (1508) encyclopaedia < Gr enkyklopaideia, false reading for enkyklios paideia, instruction in the circle of the arts and sciences < enkyklios (en-, in + kyklos, a circle: see cycle) in a circle, general + paideia, education < paideuein, to educate, bring up a child < pais (gen. paidos), child: see pedo-

encyclopedia Synonyms

encyclopedia

n.

book of facts, reference book, book of knowledge, almanac, yearbook, compilation, concordance, general reference work, cyclopedia; see also reference 3.

encyclopedia Usage Examples

Preposition: that

  • anyone: It bills itself as ' the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit ' .

Converse of object

  • illustrate: Key... £ 49.00 Qty World Religions CD-ROM An illustrated encyclopedia with some useful images.
  • publish: The Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs - David Lambert ` ` I find this encyclopedia originally published in Great Britain very useful.
  • write: The Internet Encyclopedia -A project to create a universal open content encyclopedia written in American English.
  • walk: He is not really a person at all, but a walking encyclopedia.

Adjective modifier

  • free: Play free sudoku online at Yahoo... the free encyclopedia.
  • comprehensive: Railways: A comprehensive encyclopedia of railways in Britain.
  • online: Contains an online health encyclopedia with entry on TB.
  • on-line: They are FAST Search and Transfer and on-line encyclopedia About.
  • virtual: It's a virtual encyclopedia of facts about life in Roman times at your finger tips!

Modifies a noun

  • ..: Daily Express - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia...
  • overview: Tai Chi Chuan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Overview of history, styles, and the various aspects of Tai Chi Chuan.
  • article: This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article.
  • entry: This article or section seems not to be written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia entry.

Noun used with modifier

  • wikipedia: Although the vast majority of the wikipedia encyclopedia articles provide accurate and timely information please do not assume the accuracy of any particular article.
  • multimedia: Microsoft Encarta '96 encyclopedia - A multimedia encyclopedia containing over 27,000 articles, including video and sound clips.
  • volume: The book is, after all, a single volume encyclopedia / dictionary.

Preposition: of

  • philosophy: General Editor of the 10- volume Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy, now the leading encyclopedia of philosophy in English.
  • science: Athens Encyclopedia of Life Sciences Online encyclopedia of the biological sciences in 3,000 continually updated articles.
encyclopedia Quotes

In everything that relates to science, I am a whole Encyclopedia behind the rest of the world.

—Lamb, Charles

Browse dictionary entries near encyclopedia

  1. encyclical
  2. -ency
  3. ency
  4. encumbrancer
  5. encumbrance
  6. encumber
  7. enculturate
  8. Encryption or Encipher
  9. encryption
  10. encrypt
  1. encyclopedic
  2. encyclopedism
  3. encyclopedist
  4. encyst
  5. end
  6. end-all
  7. end around
  8. end line
  9. end man
  10. end office