encyclopedia

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A reference work with articles on many subjects, usually arranged alphabetically

   I looked up the planet in an old encyclopedia.

2. 2
   noun

   A detailed reference work covering one particular field of knowledge

   His life's work is a four-volume encyclopedia of aviation.

Simplified etymology

Encyclopedia derives from Greek enkuklios paideia, referring to a rounded or general education and literally suggesting a “circle of learning.” The expression was reshaped as enkuklopaideia and entered English in the 1530s, first meaning a general course of instruction; the sense “large reference work” is recorded from 1644.

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 -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 *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-i-eh₂ Proto-Hellenic *-íā Ancient Greek -ία (-ía) Ancient Greek παιδείᾱ (paideíā) Ancient Greek…

Topics

External links

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• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary