as in books
a reference work that contains information about many different subjects or a lot of information about a particular subject
The school library's encyclopedia occupied much of the bookshelf. an encyclopedia of literature
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Recent Examples of encyclopedias
Beginning in 1959, editors put in arduous work toward compiling the first encyclopedias written in Braille, the innovative code developed by Louis Braille in 19th century France.
—
Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal, 20 Dec. 2025
Instead, the eight search results ranged from a general entry about online encyclopedias to seven entries primarily about Wikipedia.
—NPR, 29 Oct. 2025
Outdated sets of children’s encyclopedias that speak in the Voice of Empire.
—Teddy Wayne
september 9, Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2025
Over the years, the team at Locust Grove, 561 Blankenbaker Lane, has seen all types of books come through its doors ahead of the sale — children's books, novels, encyclopedias, self-help books and more.
—Lillian Metzmeier, The Courier-Journal, 18 Aug. 2025
Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal, 20 Dec. 2025
Instead, the eight search results ranged from a general entry about online encyclopedias to seven entries primarily about Wikipedia.
—NPR, 29 Oct. 2025
Outdated sets of children’s encyclopedias that speak in the Voice of Empire.
—Teddy Wayne
september 9, Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2025
Over the years, the team at Locust Grove, 561 Blankenbaker Lane, has seen all types of books come through its doors ahead of the sale — children's books, novels, encyclopedias, self-help books and more.
—Lillian Metzmeier, The Courier-Journal, 18 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encyclopedias
Noun
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Users will also be able to purchase physical books through the platform.—
Cerys Davies,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
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About two years after the launch of audiobooks on Spotify, the company is bringing physical books into the equation.—
Caitlin Huston,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Christmas hams, party cocktails, elegant layer cakes, and cookout classics fill the dictionaries of Southern family recipes, but one of my favorites is a simple vinaigrette from my grandmother.—
Mary Shannon Wells,
Southern Living,
15 Jan. 2026
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For many decades, dictionaries were bestsellers and seen as the authority on the English language.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
26 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Later on, as some of the brightest extended objects visible with even the most primitive of telescopes, planetary nebulae are numerous and prominent in the catalogues of astronomers, with the first ones spotted way back in the 1700s.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
11 Feb. 2026
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Spears joins a growing list of accomplished artists that have parted ways with their music catalogs.—
Brian Niemietz,
Mercury News,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Encyclopedias.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encyclopedias. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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