encyclopedic
adjective
en·cy·clo·pe·dic
in-ˌsī-klə-ˈpē-dik 
: of, relating to, or suggestive of an encyclopedia or its methods of treating or covering a subject : comprehensive
an encyclopedic mind
an encyclopedic collection of armor
Did you know?
In Greek, paidaea meant not simply "child-rearing" but also "education", and kyklios meant "general;" thus, an encyclopedia is a work broad enough to provide a kind of general education. The world's most eminent general encyclopedia, the Encyclopaedia Britannica, is a huge work that covers every field of human knowledge. But encyclopedic doesn't have to refer to books; it's often used to describe the wide-ranging knowledge that certain types of minds just can't stop acquiring.
Examples of encyclopedic in a Sentence
She published an encyclopedic study of ancient Egypt.
The event was described in encyclopedic detail.
his almost encyclopedic knowledge of movies
Recent Examples on the Web
Philadelphia is rich with art, being home to numerous museums, from the encyclopedic Philadelphia Museum of Art to the collector-specific taste of the Barnes Foundation, from the historical Rodin Museum to those dedicated to the art of the now, like the Institute of Contemporary Art.
—
Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 30 Apr. 2026
An encyclopedic museum is only as good as the art in its stockpiles, and that requires a lot of research.
—Ray Mark Rinaldi, Denver Post, 27 Apr. 2026
Roughly 2,000 works from LACMA’s encyclopedic collection of more than 150,000 objects are installed in the new building, and each is seen in a new context, among a new constellation of related works, in exhibition spaces physically and conceptually unlike those of the past.
—Leah Ollman, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026
The Art Institute of Chicago is one of the world’s great encyclopedic art museums.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
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Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 30 Apr. 2026
An encyclopedic museum is only as good as the art in its stockpiles, and that requires a lot of research.
—Ray Mark Rinaldi, Denver Post, 27 Apr. 2026
Roughly 2,000 works from LACMA’s encyclopedic collection of more than 150,000 objects are installed in the new building, and each is seen in a new context, among a new constellation of related works, in exhibition spaces physically and conceptually unlike those of the past.
—Leah Ollman, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026
The Art Institute of Chicago is one of the world’s great encyclopedic art museums.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for encyclopedic
Cite this Entry
“Encyclopedic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/encyclopedic. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
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