Trends ofencyclopedia
View usage for:
encyclopedia
(ɪnsaɪkləpiːdiə) also encyclopaedia
Word forms: plural encyclopedias
countable noun
An encyclopedia is a book or set of books in which facts about many different subjects or about one particular subject are arranged for reference, usually in alphabetical order.
encyclopedia in British English
or encyclopaedia (ɛnˌsaɪkləʊˈpiːdɪə)
noun
a book, often in many volumes, containing articles on various topics, often arranged in alphabetical order, dealing either with the whole range of human knowledge or with one particular subject
a medical encyclopedia
Word origin
C16: from New Latin encyclopaedia, erroneously for Greek enkuklios paideia general education, from enkuklios general (see encyclical), + paideia education, from pais childencyclopedia in American English
(ɛnˌsaɪkləˈpidiə; ɪnˌsaɪkləˈpidiə) or enˌcycloˈpaedia (ɛnˌsaɪkləˈpidiə; ɪnˌsaɪkləˈpidiə)
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
Word origin
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-1Image ofencyclopedia
© Filip Fuxa, shutterstock
Examples of 'encyclopedia' in a sentenceencyclopedia
In other languagesencyclopedia
British English: encyclopedia NOUN
An encyclopedia is a book or a set of books containing facts about many different subjects.
- American English: encyclopedia
- Brazilian Portuguese: enciclopédia
- Chinese: 百科全书
- European Spanish: enciclopedia
- French: encyclopédie
- German: Enzyklopädie
- Italian: enciclopedia
- Japanese: 百科事典
- Korean: 백과사전
- European Portuguese: enciclopédia
- Latin American Spanish: enciclopedia