Encyclopedism

/ˌɛnsaɪkləˈpiːdɪzəm/ noun

Definition

The practice, philosophy, or principles of creating or organizing encyclopedias; encyclopedic approach to knowledge (American English spelling).

Etymology

American English variant from encyclopedia + -ism. Both British encyclopaedism and American encyclopedism refer to the same Enlightenment-era philosophy of systematic knowledge organization.

Kelly Says

The spirit of encyclopedism still lives—Wikipedia represents a democratic version where millions collaborate instead of a few elite scholars with royal patronage.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.