noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Received-Pronunciation:/ɪnˌsaɪkləˈpiːdi.ə/
US:/ɪnˌsaɪkləˈpidi.ə/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Canada:/ənˌsəɪkləˈpidi.ə/
rhymes with -iːdiə
CMU ARPABET:IH0 N S AY2 K L AH0 P IY1 D IY0 AH0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
CMU ARPABET 2:IH0 N S AY2 K L OW0 P IY1 D IY0 AH0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
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.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
I only use the library for the encyclopedia, as we’ve got most other books here.
My old encyclopedia has been gathering dust on the shelf for the past decade.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
Similarly comprehensive works in other formats.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
Wikipedia is an online encyclopedia that anyone can edit.
The ancient Mesopotamians never got to write an encyclopedia on stone.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
The circle of arts and sciences (see Etymology); a comprehensive summary of knowledge, or of a branch thereof.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: dated, specifically
Examples
His life's work is a four-volume encyclopedia of aviation topics.
I have no idea how to build this model railroad, so I'm gonna look it up on Trainpedia, the encyclopedia for all things model train.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
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
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: cyclopedia, encyclopaedia, cyclopaedia
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: reference book, reference, reference work, book of facts
Narrower terms: book of knowledge
History
Etymology
Etymology tree 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 -ῐος (-ĭos) 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 *-h2 Proto-Indo-European *-éh2 Proto-Indo-European *-i-eh2 Proto-Hellenic *-íā Ancient Greek -ία (-ía) Ancient Greek παιδείᾱ (paideíā) Ancient Greek ἐγκύκλιος παιδείᾱ (enkúklios paideíā)bor. New Latin encyclopaedīalbor. 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).
Across languages
Translations
184 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Acehnese:
ènsiklopèdia
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Afrikaans:
ensiklopedie
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Albanian:
enciklopedi
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Amharic:
መዝገበ ዕውቀት
(mäzgäbä ʿəwḳät)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Arabic:
مَوْسُوعَة
(mawsūʕa)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Arabic:
دَائِرَة مَعَارِف
(dāʔirat maʕārif)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Arabic:
موسوعة
(mawsūʕa)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Aragonese:
enciclopedia
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Aragonese:
enziclopedia
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Armenian:
հանրագիտարան
(hanragitaran)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Asturian:
enciclopedia
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Azerbaijani:
qamus
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Azerbaijani:
ensiklopediya
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Azerbaijani:
biliklik
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Azerbaijani:
قاموس
(qāmūs)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Bakhtiari:
دونسمندنامه
(dunismandnāma)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Baluchi:
زانتنامہ
(zāntnāma)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Baluchi:
زانتگرد
(zántgird)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Bambara:
ɔnsiklopedi
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Basque:
entziklopedia
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Belarusian:
энцыклапе́дыя
(encyklapjédyja)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Belarusian:
энцыкляпэ́дыя
(encykljapédyja)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Bengali:
বিশ্বকোষ এনসাইক্লোপিডিয়া
(biśśokōś)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Betawi:
ènsiklopédi
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Brahui:
zántgird
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Breton:
holloueziadur
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Bulgarian:
енциклопе́дия
(enciklopédija)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Burmese:
စွယ်စုံကျမ်း
(cwaicumkyam:)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Carpathian Rusyn:
енціклопе́дія
(enciklopédija)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Catalan:
enciclopèdia
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Chinese Cantonese:
百科全書 /百科全书
(baak3 fo1 cyun4 syu1)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Chinese Cantonese:
百科事典
(baak3 fo1 si6 din2)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Chinese Mandarin:
百科全書 /百科全书
(bǎikēquánshū)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Chuvash:
энциклопеди
(entsiklop̬edi)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Crimean Tatar:
entsiklopediya
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Czech:
encyklopedie
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Danish:
encyklopædi
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Danish:
leksikon
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Dutch:
encyclopedie
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Erzya:
содамкундо
(sodamkundo)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Esperanto:
enciklopedio
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Estonian:
entsüklopeedia
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Faroese:
alfrøðibók
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Finnish:
tietosanakirja
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Finnish:
ensyklopedia
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
French:
encyclopédie
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
West-Frisian:
ensyklopedy
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Friulian:
enciclopedie
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Galician:
enciclopedia
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Georgian:
ენციკლოპედია
(enciḳloṗedia)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
German:
Enzyklopädie
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
German:
Lexikon
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
German:
Konversationslexikon
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
German:
Realencyclopädie
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
German:
Realwörterbuch
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
German:
Enzyklopädie
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Gilaki:
دانشنامه
(dånišnåmä)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Greek:
εγκυκλοπαίδεια
(egkyklopaídeia)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Ancient Greek:
πανδέκτης
(pandéktēs)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Gurani:
زانستنامە
(zānistnāma)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Haitian Creole:
ansiklopedi
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Hebrew:
אֶנְצִיקְלוֹפֶּדְיָה
(entsiklopédya)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Hindi:
ज्ञानकोष
(jñānkoṣ)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Hindi:
विश्वकोश
(viśvakoś)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Hindi:
विश्वकोष
(viśvakoṣ)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Hindi:
साइक्लोपीडिया
(sāiklopīḍiyā)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Hindi:
इनसाइक्लोपीडिया
(insāiklopīḍiyā)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Hungarian:
enciklopédia
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Hungarian:
lexikon
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Icelandic:
alfræðibók
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Icelandic:
alfræðiorðabók
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Icelandic:
alfræðirit
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Ido:
enciklopedio
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Indonesian:
ensiklopedia
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Interlingua:
encyclopedia
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Irish:
ciclipéid
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Italian:
enciclopedia
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Japanese:
百科事典
(hyakkajiten)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Japanese:
百科全書
(hyakkazensho)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Kannada:
ವಿಶ್ವಕೋಶ
(viśvakōśa)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Karachay-Balkar:
энциклопедия
(entsiklopediya)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Kazakh:
энциклопедия
(énsiklopediä)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Khmer:
វិជ្ជាសមោធាន
(vɨcciə saʼmaothiən)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Khmer:
សៀវភៅប្រជុំវិជ្ជា
(siəw phɨw prɑɑcum vɨcciə)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Korean:
백과사전
(baekgwasajeon)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Korean:
백과전서
(baekgwajeonseo)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Central Kurdish:
زانستنامە
(zanistname)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Laki:
زانستنۆمە
(zanistnome)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Northern Kurdish:
zanistname
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Southern Kurdish:
زانستنامە
(zanistname)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Kyrgyz:
энциклопедия
(entsiklopediya)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Ladin:
enziclopedia
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Ladino:
ansiklopedia
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Lao:
ສາລານຸກົມ
(sā lā nu kom)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Latin:
encyclopaedīa
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Latin:
pandectēs
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Latvian:
enciklopēdija
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Limburgish:
encyklopedie
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Lithuanian:
enciklopedija
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Livvi:
tiedosanakniigu
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Low German:
nokieksel
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Northern Luri:
دونسمنامٱ
(dunismnāma)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Luxembourgish:
Enzyklopedie
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Macedonian:
енциклопе́дија
(enciklopédija)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Malay:
ensiklopedia
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Malay:
jagat katan
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Malayalam:
സർവവിജ്ഞാനകോശം
(saṟvavijñānakōśaṁ)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Malayalam:
വിജ്ഞാനകോശം
(vijñānakōśaṁ)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Māori:
mātāpunenga
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Mazanderani:
دانشنومه
(dānišnuma)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Mongolian:
нэвтэрхий толь
(nevterxii tolʹ)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Nahuatl:
centlamatilizamoxtli
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Nauruan:
entsikropidiya
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Navajo:
ínsadoobíídiiya
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Neapolitan:
enciclopedía
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Norwegian Bokmål:
encyklopedi
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Norwegian Nynorsk:
encyklopedi
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Occitan:
enciclopèdia}
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Church Slavic:
єнкѷклопєдїꙗ
(enküklopedija)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Ossetian:
энциклопеди
(ènciklopedi)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Papiamentu:
ensiklopedia
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Pashto:
پوهنغونډ
(pohǝnǧwǝnḍ)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Iranian Persian:
دانِشْنامِه
(dânešnâme)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Iranian Persian:
دایِرَةُالْمَعارِف
(dâyerat-ol-ma'âref)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Iranian Persian:
دائِرَةُالْمَعارِف
(dâ'erat-ol-ma'âref)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Iranian Persian:
آنْسیکْلوپِدی
(ânsiklopedi)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Piedmontese:
enciclopedìa
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Polish:
encyklopedia
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Portuguese:
enciclopédia
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Punjabi:
ਵਿਸ਼ਵਕੋਸ਼
(viśvakoś)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Romanian:
enciclopedie
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Russian:
энциклопе́дия
(enciklopédija)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Northern Sami:
diehtosátnegirji
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Sanskrit:
विश्वकोश
(viśvakośa)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Sardinian:
entziclopedia
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Serbo-Croatian:
енциклопе́дија
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Serbo-Croatian:
enciklopédija
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Slovak:
encyklopédia
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Slovene:
enciklopedija
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Lower Sorbian:
encyklopedija
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Upper Sorbian:
encyklopedija
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Spanish:
enciclopedia
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Swahili:
kamusi elezo
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Swahili:
ensaiklopidia
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Swedish:
encyklopedi
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Swedish:
konversationslexikon
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Swedish:
uppslagsverk
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Tagalog:
santalaalaman
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Tagalog:
ensiklopedya
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Tajik:
донишнома
(donišnoma)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Tajik:
доиратулмаориф
(doyiratulmaorif)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Tajik:
энсиклопедия
(ensiklopediya)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Tatar:
энциклопедия
(entsiklopediyä)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Telugu:
విజ్ఞానసర్వస్వం
(vijñānasarvasvaṁ)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Thai:
สารานุกรม
(sǎa-raa-nú-grom)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Tigrinya:
ኢንሳይክሎፐድያ
(ʾinsaykəlopädya)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Tigrinya:
መዝገበ ፍልጠት
(mäzgäbä fəlṭät)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Turkish:
ansiklopedi
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Ottoman Turkish:
محیط المعارف
(mühîtülma'ârif)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Turkmen:
ensiklopediýa
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Ukrainian:
енциклопе́дія
(encyklopédija)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Urdu:
دائِرَۃُ الْمَعارِف
(dāiratu l-ma'ārif)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Urdu:
کِتابُ الْمَعارِف
(kitābu l-ma'ārif)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Urdu:
قامُوس
(qāmūs)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Urdu:
اِنْسائِیکِلوپِیڈْیا
(insāīkilopīḍyā)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Urdu:
موسوعہ
(mausū'a)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Urdu:
احصاء العلوم
(ihsā'-ul-u'lūm)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Urdu:
قاموس الاحلام
(qāmūs-al-ahlām)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Uyghur:
قامۇس
(qamus)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Uyghur:
ئېنسىكلوپېدىيە
(ënsiklopëdiye)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Uyghur:
ئېنىسىكلوپېدىيە
(ënisiklopëdiye)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Uzbek:
ensiklopediya
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Uzbek:
qomus
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Venetan:
ensiclopedia
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Venetan:
ençiclopedia
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Vietnamese:
bách khoa toàn thư
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Volapük:
sikloped
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Volapük:
züklopäod
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Volapük:
realasikloped
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Welsh:
gwyddoniadur
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Yakut:
энциклопедия
(entsiklopediya)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Yiddish:
ענציקלאָפּעדיע
(entsiklopedye)
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Zazaki:
ensiklopediye
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
Zealandic:
encyclopedie
— comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics
