Encyclopedia

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ənˌsəɪ.kləˈpi.di.ə/

Definitions

1. A comprehensive reference work containing articles on numerous subjects or many aspects of a particular field, typically arranged alphabetically
2. A systematically organized compilation of knowledge covering diverse subjects or specialized domains, designed to provide comprehensive information on broad areas of human understanding
3. A reference resource that collects and presents factual information on multiple topics or fields of study in an accessible, often alphabetically arranged format

Etymology: The word began as a phrase rather than a single term. Ancient Greek speakers used "enkúklios paideíā," meaning roughly "education in the circle of arts and sciences," where "enkúklios" meant "circular" in the sense of a complete round of subjects. Over time the phrase was shortened into one word, and Renaissance scholars in Europe adopted it in Latin as "encyclopaedia," meaning general education. The word's modern sense owes much to the French "Encyclopédie" edited by Denis Diderot and his collaborators. That work's scope and format shaped how English speakers came to understand the term, so a word that once described a course of general learning came to name a reference book of organized facts.

Synonyms: reference work, compendium