encyclopedia

[en-sahy-kluh-pee-dee-uh] /ɛnˌsaɪ kləˈpi di ə/

noun

a book or set of books containing articles on various topics, usually in alphabetical arrangement, covering all branches of knowledge or, less commonly, all aspects of one subject.

(initial capital letter) the French work edited by Diderot and D'Alembert, published in the 18th century, distinguished by its representation of the views of the Enlightenment.

Also, encyclopaedia.

Origin

1525-35; < Neo-Latin encyclopaedia < Greek enkyklopaidía, a misreading of enkýklios paideía circular (i.e., well-rounded) education. See encyclical, pedi-²

Examples from the web for encyclopedia

They take a small and interesting chapter in the book of evolution and extrapolate it into the entire encyclopedia of life.
To say that the book is an encyclopedia of human hearts would not be an exaggeration.
Get fast facts and a detailed history from this encyclopedia article.
They've just finished printing an encyclopedia unlike any encyclopedia ever printed before.
To be really first-class, an encyclopedia must be authoritative and thorough.
As he remembers it, this particular encyclopedia covered so many subjects that the index alone filled two thick volumes.
Some oppose this practice for a neutral encyclopedia.
It was published in shortened form in an encyclopedia.
There's never been an encyclopedia like this one before.
Online encyclopedia tightens rules following false article.

British Dictionary definitions for encyclopedia

encyclopedia

/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 child

Word Origin and History for encyclopedia

1530s, "course of instruction," from Modern Latin encyclopaedia (c.1500), thought to be a false reading by Latin authors of Greek enkyklios paideia taken as "general education," but literally "training in a circle," i.e. the "circle" of arts and sciences, the essentials of a liberal education; from enkyklios "circular," also "general" (from en "in" + kyklos "circle") + paideia "education, child-rearing," from pais (genitive paidos) "child" (see pedo-).

Modern sense of "reference work arranged alphabetically" is from 1640s, often applied specifically to the French "Encyclopédie ou Dictionnaire raisonné des Sciences, des Arts, et des Métiers" (1751-65).