Encyclopedia Definition

Origin of Encyclopedia

• From Latin encyclopaedia, from Ancient Greek ἐγκύκλιος παιδεία (enkuklios paideia, “the circle of arts and sciences, curriculum”), from ἐγκύκλιος (enkuklios, “circular, rounded, round”), from κύκλος (kuklos, “circle”) + παιδεία (paideia, “the rearing of a child, education”), from παιδίον (paidion, “child”).

  From Wiktionary

• Medieval Latin encyclopaedia general education course from alteration of Greek enkuklios paideia general education enkuklios circular, general encyclical paideia education (from pais paid- child pau-¹ in Indo-European roots)

  From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition