encyclopedia

Everyday

1. An encyclopedia is a book or a set of books, or a website, with information about many subjects, usually in alphabetical order. tree →
2. (figurative) A person who knows a lot is sometimes called a walking encyclopedia. tree →

In the lessons

In school and the library pupils use encyclopedias for research projects; online encyclopedias like Wikipedia are written by volunteers. Teachers remind children to check facts in more than one source. Phrases: «look it up in an encyclopedia», «an online encyclopedia», «a walking encyclopedia».

Examples

• Look up «volcanoes» in the encyclopedia. tree →
• Our library has a children's encyclopedia of animals. tree →
• Wikipedia is an online encyclopedia. tree →
• My grandad had a whole shelf of encyclopedias. tree →
• She knows everything about dinosaurs — she's a walking encyclopedia! tree →
• The encyclopedia has a picture of every planet. tree →
• Check the encyclopedia and one other source. tree →

Note

Countable: an encyclopedia (use «an»). US spelling: encyclopedia; UK sometimes: encyclopaedia (both correct in the UK). Pronounced «en-SY-kloh-PEE-dee-uh». Adjective: encyclopedic (knowing a lot). Not the same as a dictionary, which explains words, not topics.