encyclopedia

/ɪnˌsaɪkləˈpiːdi.ə/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: encyclopedias · encyclopediae

Sense 1

Meaning · English

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.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Tác phẩm tham khảo toàn diện với các bài viết về nhiều chủ đề

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Noun

Examples

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

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

Similarly comprehensive works in other formats.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Tác phẩm toàn diện tương tự ở các định dạng khác

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Noun

Examples

Wikipedia is an online encyclopedia that anyone can edit.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “encyclopedia” mean?

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.

Is “encyclopedia” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.

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