ENCYCLOPEDIA

encyclopedia, cyclopedia, encyclopaedia, cyclopaedia

(noun) 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

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

encyclopedia (plural encyclopedias or encyclopediae or encyclopediæ)

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.

(dated) The circle of arts and sciences; a comprehensive summary of knowledge, or of a branch of knowledge.

Usage notes

The spelling encyclopedia is standard in American English, preferred in Canadian English, accepted in Australian and International English, and also very common in British English. It is more common than encyclopaedia, for example, in UK newspapers on Google News in 2009 by a 7:3 margin.

Source: Wiktionary

En*cy`clo*pe"di*a, En*cy`clo*pæ"di*a, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. encyclopédie. See Cyclopedia, and Encyclical.] [Formerly written encyclopædy and encyclopedy.]

Definition: 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.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition