encyclopedic

American  

[en-sahy-kluh-pee-dik] / ɛnˌsaɪ kləˈpi dɪk /

Also encyclopedical, or encyclopaedic

adjective

1. pertaining to or of the nature of an encyclopedia; relating to all branches of knowledge.

2. comprehending a wide variety of information; comprehensive.

   an encyclopedic memory.

   Synonyms:

   wide-ranging, exhaustive, all-inclusive, all-embracing

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encyclopedic British  

/ ɛnˌsaɪkləʊˈpiːdɪk /

adjective

1. of, characteristic of, or relating to an encyclopedia

2. covering a wide range of knowledge; comprehensive

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonencyclopaedic
  adjective
• nonencyclopedical
  adjective
• encyclopaedically
  adverb
• nonencyclopedic
  adjective
• encyclopedically
  adverb

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."

Related Words

• exhaustive
• extensive
• thorough
• vast
• wide-ranging