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# encyclopedia

noun (an encyclopedia, encyclopedias); UK also encyclopaedia

«encyclopedia» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## 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 →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/encyclopedia/#m1)
2. (figurative) A person who knows a lot is sometimes called a walking encyclopedia. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/encyclopedia/#m2)

### 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 →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/encyclopedia/#x1)
- Our library has a children's encyclopedia of animals. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/encyclopedia/#x2)
- Wikipedia is an online encyclopedia. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/encyclopedia/#x3)
- My grandad had a whole shelf of encyclopedias. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/encyclopedia/#x4)
- She knows everything about dinosaurs — she's a walking encyclopedia! [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/encyclopedia/#x5)
- The encyclopedia has a picture of every planet. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/encyclopedia/#x6)
- Check the encyclopedia and one other source. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/encyclopedia/#x7)

### 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.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «encyclopedia» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/encyclopedia/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«encyclopedia» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/encyclopedia.html) on Mova free.