encyclopedia

noun

en·​cy·​clo·​pe·​dia in-ˌsī-klə-ˈpē-dē-ə How to pronounce encyclopedia (audio)
: 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 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 What about going to the library or consulting an encyclopedia? TIME, 8 Feb. 2024 The menu is much shorter – the old one was a virtual encyclopedia of breakfast dishes – and the full-service model has changed to an order-at-the-counter-and-take-a-number game. John Metcalfe, The Mercury News, 5 Feb. 2024 Not long ago, one way of appearing smart involved memorizing a bunch of obscure facts—to become a walking encyclopedia. TIME, 8 Feb. 2024 Born as Gaius Plinius Secundus, Pliny is best known as the author of Natural History, a sprawling text similar to a present-day encyclopedia. Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Feb. 2024 My earliest memories are looking at photographs in newspapers, or in my dad’s encyclopedia, and realizing my world in Düsseldorf, which was ninety per cent destroyed [during the Second World War], was not like the rest of the world. Nathan Taylor Pemberton, The New Yorker, 10 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'encyclopedia.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of encyclopedia was in 1644

Dictionary Entries Near encyclopedia

Cite this Entry

“Encyclopedia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/encyclopedia. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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"

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