Skip to content
HOW TO PRONOUNCE

encyclopedia

/ɪnˌsaɪkləˈpidi.ə/

Press play to hear how to pronounce encyclopedia.

American Pronunciation Guide · 0:55
Watch on YouTube ↗

What does encyclopedia mean?

noun

  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.
  2. Similarly comprehensive works in other formats.
More meanings (1)

noun

  1. (dated) The circle of arts and sciences (see Etymology); a comprehensive summary of knowledge, or of a branch thereof.

Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0

IPA pronunciation

/ɪnˌsaɪkləˈpidi.ə/

Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0

Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.

In the pages of books

See this word in context.

The Encyclopedia, in the last century, was a mine that was almost open to the sky.
Victor HugoLes MisérablesTranslated by Isabel Florence HapgoodProject Gutenberg ebook #135
Storrow, on the contrary, was a small man, quiet in manner, conversational in argument, and an encyclopedia of definite information.
Herbert Newton CassonThe History of the TelephoneProject Gutenberg ebook #819
More book examples (3)
Such poor under-nourished nurseries must needs fall back upon the Encyclopedia Britannica, and even that is becoming flexible on India paper!
H. G. (Herbert George) WellsFloor Games; a companion volume to "Little Wars"Project Gutenberg ebook #3690
But now, when the girls talk about things that I never heard of, I just keep still and look them up in the encyclopedia.
Jean WebsterDaddy-Long-LegsProject Gutenberg ebook #157
Ten years ago, the Internet was the mystical province of physicists; today, it is a commonplace encyclopedia for millions of schoolchildren.
United States. PresidentsUnited States Presidents' Inaugural Speeches: From Washington to George W. BushProject Gutenberg ebook #925