Hypertext Webster Gateway: "encyclopedia"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Encyclopedia \En*cy`clo*pe"di*a\, Encyclopaedia
\En*cy`clo*p[ae]"di*a\, n. [NL., fr. Gr. ?, for ? ?, instruction
in the circle of arts and sciences: cf. F. encyclop['e]die.
See {Cyclopedia}, and {Encyclical}.] [Formerly written
{encyclop[ae]dy} and {encyclopedy}.]
The circle of arts and sciences; a comprehensive summary of
knowledge, or of a branch of knowledge; esp., a work in which
the various branches of science or art are discussed
separately, and usually in alphabetical order; a cyclopedia.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
encyclopedia
n : 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 [syn: {cyclopedia},
{encyclopaedia}, {cyclopaedia}]
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