# encyclopedia

> English word · Noun · IPA /ənˌsəɪ.kləˈpi.di.ə/ · frequency rank #14,520

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

## Etymology
Etymology tree
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Proto-Indo-European *h₁en-
Proto-Indo-European *h₁en-
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 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).

## Easily confused with
- **encyclopedic** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/encyclopedia-vs-encyclopedic)
- **encyclopaedia** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/encyclopaedia-vs-encyclopedia)

## Common misspellings (18)
`ecnyclopedia`, `enccyclopedia`, `enccylopedia`, `encycclopedia`, `encycllopedia`, `encycloepdia`, `encyclopdeia`, `encyclopedai`, `encyclopeddia`, `encyclopeida`, `encycloppedia`, `encyclpoedia`, `encycolpedia`, `encylcopedia`, `encyyclopedia`, `enncyclopedia`, `enycclopedia`, `necyclopedia`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/encyclopedia