encyclopadia, encyclopedia, encyclopadie

[Gr. engkyklopaideia, from eno kyklia paideia =the circle of arts and sciences: en= in, and kyklos =a circle; kyklos a circle; Fr. encyclopédie.) The circle of arts and sciences; a general system of instruction and knowledge; spec if., a work in which the various branches of science and art are treated of separately, and usually in alphabetical order; a cyclopædia. The name was first given to a work by Abulpharagius, composed in the thirteenth century. The earliest English encyclopædia was the Lexicon Technicum of John Harris, published in A. D. 1704, with supplements in 1710 and 1714. The Cyclopædia of Ephraim Chambers first appeared in 1728, and a new edition in 1785. The Encyclopædia Britannica was first compiled in 1778. Applet on's is generally considered the best American encyclopædia. For the difference between encyclopædia and dictionary , see DICTIONARY. *en-çy-clo-pa-di-a-cal, *en-çy-clo-pe-di-acal, a. [Eng. encyclopædia; -cal.] The same as ENCYCLOPEDIC (q. v.).