encyclopaedia

Everyday

1. A book or set of books, or a website, giving information on many subjects, or on many parts of one subject, usually arranged in alphabetical order. tree →
2. (informal) A person who knows a huge amount: «a walking encyclopaedia». tree →

In the lessons

In school research, pupils use encyclopaedias (printed or online) to find facts for projects. Online encyclopaedias like Wikipedia can be edited by anyone, so pupils learn to check facts in more than one source. Phrases: «look it up in an encyclopaedia», «walking encyclopaedia», «online encyclopaedia», «children's encyclopaedia».

Examples

• I looked up volcanoes in the encyclopaedia. tree →
• The library has a children's encyclopaedia about animals. tree →
• My brother is a walking encyclopaedia about dinosaurs. tree →
• Online encyclopaedias are quick, but check your facts. tree →
• The encyclopaedia had twenty heavy volumes. tree →
• An encyclopaedia of space is on my birthday list. tree →

Note

UK, Ireland, Australia and NZ often spell «encyclopaedia»; US and Canada «encyclopedia». Both are correct. Starts with a vowel sound: «an encyclopaedia». Pronounced «en-sye-klo-PEE-dee-a». Adjective: «encyclopaedic» (knowing a lot).

In Jewish tradition

In school research, pupils use encyclopaedias (printed or online) to find facts for projects. Online encyclopaedias like Wikipedia can be edited by anyone, so pupils learn to check facts in more than one source. Phrases: «look it up in an encyclopaedia», «walking encyclopaedia», «online encyclopaedia», «children's encyclopaedia».

Examples

• '"The invention of Signs to represent numbers is doubtless much older than any form ol writing" (Chambers Encyclopaedia, 1893, Vol. (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914)) tree →

Note

UK, Ireland, Australia and NZ often spell «encyclopaedia»; US and Canada «encyclopedia». Both are correct. Starts with a vowel sound: «an encyclopaedia». Pronounced «en-sye-klo-PEE-dee-a». Adjective: «encyclopaedic» (knowing a lot).