encyclopedia

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Wikipedia

Contents 1 English 1.1 Alternative spellings 1.2 Etymology 1.3 Pronunciation 1.4 Noun 1.4.1 Usage notes 1.4.2 Related terms 1.4.3 Translations

[edit] English

[edit] Alternative spellings

• encyclopædia
• (chiefly British) encyclopaedia

[edit] Etymology

From Latin encyclopædia < Ancient Greek ἐγκύκλιος παιδεία (“‘the circle of arts and sciences", "curriculum’”) < ἐγκύκλιος (enkyklios), “‘circular, rounded, round’”) < κύκλος (kyklos), “‘circle’”) + παιδεία (paideia), “‘the rearing of a child", "education’”), from παιδίον (paidion), “‘child’”)

[edit] Pronunciation

• (Canada) IPA^c:   /ənˌsəɪkləˈpidiə/    CA synth^{help, file}
•  Audio (US)^{help, file}

[edit] Noun

encyclopedia (plural encyclopedias)

1. A comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics.

   I only use the library for the encyclopedia, we've got most other books here.

[edit] Usage notes

The spelling encyclopedia is standard in American English, preferred in Canadian English, accepted in Australian and International English, and is also very common in British English. It is more common than encyclopeaedia, for example, in UK newspapers on Google News in 2009 by a 7:3 margin.

[edit] Related terms

• encyclopedic
• encyclopedic fiction
• encyclopedist

[edit] Translations