1 encyclopedic | Definition of encyclopedic

encyclopedic

adjective
en·​cy·​clo·​pe·​dic | \ in-ËŒsÄ«-klÉ™-ˈpÄ“-dik How to pronounce encyclopedic (audio) \

Definition of encyclopedic

: of, relating to, or suggestive of an encyclopedia or its methods of treating or covering a subject : comprehensive an encyclopedic mind an encyclopedic collection of armor

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Other Words from encyclopedic

encyclopedically \ in-​ËŒsÄ«-​klÉ™-​ˈpÄ“-​di-​k(É™-​)lÄ“ How to pronounce encyclopedically (audio) \ adverb

Did You Know?

In Greek, paidaea meant not simply "child-rearing" but also "education", and kyklios meant "general;" thus, an encyclopedia is a work broad enough to provide a kind of general education. The world's most eminent general encyclopedia, the Encyclopaedia Britannica, is a huge work that covers every field of human knowledge. But encyclopedic doesn't have to refer to books; it's often used to describe the wide-ranging knowledge that certain types of minds just can't stop acquiring.

Examples of encyclopedic in a Sentence

She published an encyclopedic study of ancient Egypt. The event was described in encyclopedic detail. his almost encyclopedic knowledge of movies
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Recent Examples on the Web

Edward, my father’s brother, a lawyer who had an encyclopedic knowledge of Civil War history. Cyrus Grace Dunham, The New Yorker, "A Year Without a Name," 12 Aug. 2019 Some people have an encyclopedic knowledge of, oh, American history, sports statistics, or Friends trivia. Bella Cacciatore, Glamour, "This Amazon Top-Seller Is the Best Mascara You’ve Never Heard Of," 23 July 2019 Wondering what a Hawaiian party is called, and if being at one would be more fun than doing the crossword. Accessing your encyclopedic knowledge of the Bible and all its characters, especially the ones with vowel-heavy names. Colin Stokes Ellis Rosen, The New Yorker, "Facial Expressions for Reacting to the New York Times Crossword," 17 July 2019 Meaning, that consumers are fully briefed on old licensing deals and have encyclopedic knowledge of what's on the bench of every media company in town. Tim Goodman, The Hollywood Reporter, "Tim Goodman: What If WarnerMedia Got a Redo on the HBO Max Reveal?," 15 July 2019 The Bartender’s choice at Bar High Five The encyclopedic selection of spirits takes up an entire wall at Bar High Five in Ginza. Stan Parish, WSJ, "‘Go Beyond Sushi’: Tokyo’s Culinary Gems," 19 June 2018 The sudden departure of the Alamo’s longtime historian-curator has devotees worried over the loss of his passion and encyclopedic knowledge at a time when plans for the controversial major overhaul of the battle site continue to be hammered out. Scott Huddleston, ExpressNews.com, "Historian’s exit in San Antonio stirs concern about Alamo," 3 July 2019 Designer Pierpaolo Piccioli crossed frontiers, mixed high and low, and blurred cultural boundaries to bring back an encyclopedic show. Thomas Adamson And Colleen Barry, chicagotribune.com, "What (the runways say) guys will be wearing for summer 2020," 24 June 2019 With his encyclopedic knowledge of North Indian cuisine, Mr. Kalra was often the last word on authenticity; he was frequently sought out by restaurants and hotels to perfect recipes and develop menus. New York Times, "Jiggs Kalra, Food Writer Who Elevated Indian Fine Dining, Dies at 72," 12 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'encyclopedic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of encyclopedic

1824, in the meaning defined above

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More Definitions for encyclopedic

encyclopedic

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of encyclopedic

: dealing with or knowing a subject thoroughly or completely

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