Definition of ENCYCLOPEDIA

encyclopedia

Meanings

Plural: encyclopediae, encyclopedias, encyclopediæ

Noun

  • a reference work (often in several volumes) containing articles on various topics (often arranged in alphabetical order) dealing with the entire range of human knowledge or with some particular specialty
  • A comprehensive reference work (often spanning several printed volumes) with articles (usually arranged in alphabetical order, or sometimes arranged by category) on a range of subjects, sometimes general, sometimes limited to a particular field.
  • Similarly comprehensive works in other formats.
  • The circle of arts and sciences (see Etymology); a comprehensive summary of knowledge, or of a branch thereof.

Origin / Etymology

Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *h₁en-
Proto-Indo-European *h₁en-
Proto-Indo-European *h₁én
Ancient Greek ἐν (en)
Ancient Greek ἐν- (en-)
Proto-Indo-European *kʷel-
Proto-Indo-European *kʷékʷlos
Ancient Greek κύκλος (kúklos)
Proto-Indo-European *-yósder.
Ancient Greek -ιος (-ios)
Ancient Greek ἐγκύκλῐος (enkúklĭos)
Proto-Indo-European *peh₂w-der.
Proto-Hellenic *pā́wits
Ancient Greek παῖς (paîs)
Ancient Greek -εύς (-eús)
Ancient Greek -εύω (-eúō)
Ancient Greek παιδεύω (paideúō)
Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂
Proto-Indo-European *-i-eh₂
Ancient Greek -ία (-ía)
Ancient Greek παιδείᾱ (paideíā)
Ancient Greek ἐγκύκλιος παιδείᾱ (enkúklios paideíā)bor.
New Latin encyclopaedīabor.
English encyclopedia
Borrowed from New Latin encyclopēdīa, encyclopaedīa (“general education”), a univerbated form of Koine Greek ἐγκύκλιος παιδείᾱ (enkúklios paideíā, “education in the circle of arts and sciences”), from Ancient Greek ἐγκύκλιος (enkúklios, “circular”) + παιδείᾱ (paideíā, “childrearing; education”) (q.v.). Nearly all modern English usage of the word was influenced by the scope and format of the French Encyclopédie by Diderot et al. (see quotation).

Scrabble Score: 22

encyclopedia is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
encyclopedia is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
encyclopedia is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 26

encyclopedia is a valid Words With Friends word