encyclopedic
Americanadjective
-
pertaining to or of the nature of an encyclopedia; relating to all branches of knowledge.
-
comprehending a wide variety of information; comprehensive.
an encyclopedic memory.
- Synonyms:
- wide-ranging, exhaustive, all-inclusive, all-embracing
adjective
-
of, characteristic of, or relating to an encyclopedia
-
covering a wide range of knowledge; comprehensive
Other Word Forms
- encyclopaedically adverb
- encyclopedically adverb
- nonencyclopaedic adjective
- nonencyclopedic adjective
- nonencyclopedical adjective
Etymology
Origin of encyclopedic
First recorded in 1815–25; encycloped(ia) + -ic
Explanation
Something that's encyclopedic includes everything — it's vast and complete. Your encyclopedic knowledge of insects means you can identify every single bug you come across. You're most likely to find the adjective encyclopedic describing the word knowledge. If your knowledge about any subject is encyclopedic, it means you know as much about it as an encyclopedia — a book crammed full of information — could tell you. In fact, encyclopedic comes from encyclopedia, a modern Latin word that's based on a misreading of the Greek enkyklios paideia as "general education." The phrase actually means "training in a circle."
Vocabulary lists containing encyclopedic
cycl
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Ghost Squad
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
cycl
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It was a niche Petrou dominated with her encyclopedic knowledge and astonishing facility with banking-world arcana.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026
Expansion, he said, is important for an encyclopedic museum, responsible for chronicling art history across many genres, geographies and media.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 5, 2026
The noted Roman naturalist and historian was indeed an early expert in fermentation, yet he also wrote about “sal ammoniac” — yes, smelling salts — in his encyclopedic work “Natural History,” published in 79 A.D.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 12, 2026
If the thieves who dropped Empress Eugenie’s crown outside the Louvre during this year’s heist, sparked an interest in jeweled headgear, try this encyclopedic guide to the world’s most famous tiaras.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 28, 2025
“These are volcanic rock,” he said in his best encyclopedic voice.
From "Educated" by Tara Westover
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
