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Encyclopedia vs Wikipedia - What's the difference?

encyclopedia | wikipedia |

As nouns the difference between encyclopedia and wikipedia

is that encyclopedia is a comprehensive reference work (often spanning several printed volumes) with in-depth articles (usually arranged in alphabetical order, or sometimes arranged by category) on a range of subjects, sometimes general, sometimes limited to a particular field while Wikipedia is a version of the encyclopedia Wikipedia (a free-content online encyclopedia) in a particular language.

As a proper noun Wikipedia is

a free-content online encyclopedia founded in 2001, collaboratively developed over the World Wide Web in a number of languages.

As a verb Wikipedia is

to consult Wikipedia for information.

encyclopedia

Alternative forms

* (chiefly British) encyclopaedia * (obsolete)

Noun

  • A comprehensive reference work (often spanning several printed volumes) with in-depth articles (usually arranged in alphabetical order, or sometimes arranged by category) on a range of subjects, sometimes general, sometimes limited to a particular field.
  • I only use the library for the encyclopedia , as we’ve got most other books here.
    His life's work was a four-volume encyclopedia of aviation topics.
  • (dated) The circle of arts and sciences; a comprehensive summary of knowledge, or of a branch of knowledge.
  • (Webster 1913)

    Usage notes

    The spelling encyclopedia'' is standard in American English, preferred in Canadian English, accepted in Australian and International English, and also very common in British English. It is more common than ''encyclopaedia , for example, in UK newspapers on Google News in 2009 by a 7:3 margin.

    Derived terms

    * -pedia

    See also

    * dictionary

    wikipedia

    English

    Alternative forms

    * wikipedia (when used as a common noun)

    Proper noun

    (s)
  • A free-content online encyclopedia founded in 2001, collaboratively developed over the World Wide Web in a number of languages.
  • * 2011 , , January 12.
  • Civility – translated as savoir-vivre in the French version – is one of the five "pillars" of Wikipedia .
  • The community that develops the Wikipedia encyclopedia.
  • * 2011 , , May 23.
  • In August 2009, Wikipedia announced that it planned a move that many saw as a step away from its freewheeling ethos of anyone can edit.
  • * 2012 , , January 19.
  • Wikipedia mounted a 24-hour protest starting at midnight by converting their English page to a shadowy black background and warning readers that "the U.S. Congress is considering legislation that could fatally damage the free and open Internet."
  • (neologism) A main-belt asteroid (No. ).
  • Derived terms

    * Wikipedian

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A version of the encyclopedia (a free-content online encyclopedia) in a particular language.
  • * 2005 , , December 14.
  • Work in the open-source software community or contribute to wikipedias on your favourite subjects.
  • A wiki or similar collaborative database.
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • (figuratively) A source of abundant encyclopedic knowledge.
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • Verb

    (en verb)
  • To consult for information.
  • #
  • #* 2004 January 7, Mike Pitt, " Re: (Non-Euros/SAs Only) How did you become a lover of football?", in rec.sport.soccer, Usenet :
  • Did a bit of Wikipediaing :
  • #* 2005 August 18, Edward Cherlin, " Re: Slow Re-entry", in rec.arts.sf.science, Usenet :
  • Is everybody in this group incapable of arithmetic, Googling, and Wikipediaing ?
  • #
  • #* 2006 November 17, Rachel Maddow, on Paula Zahn Now : ][http://groups.google.com/group/alt.religion.scientology/msg/9a83a0db36532600?q=Wikipediaing
  • I mean, it's true, if Katie Holmes had not become engaged to Tom Cruise, we'd all still be Wikipeidaing her, looking her up, trying to figure out exactly why do I know her, what was she in, is she famous?
  • #* 2009 , Roger Ebert, Roger Ebert's Movie Yearbook 2010 , ][http://www.amazon.com/Roger-Eberts-Movie-Yearbook-2010/dp/B003STCR2E Andrews McMeel Publishing, ISBN 978-0-7407-8536-8, page 363:
  • He made me curious enough that I Wikipediaed Bob Satterfield and found out, yes, he was a real fighter, nicknamed the Bombadier, and was KO'd by the Raging Bull himself in a 1946 fight in Wrigley Field.
  • #* 2010 April 7, "Jeff K.", " Like a Drunk One Legged Pirate Stores His Rum, The aTable Stores Your Cords" (blog post), in CraziestGadgets.com:
  • That’s a true fact, you can Wikipedia that shizz.
  • #* 2010 , Rachel Cohn, Very Lefreak , Random House, ISBN 9780375895524, chapter 3:
  • #
  • I wikipediaed the article on science and learned about the scientific method.