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Erudition vs Encyclopedia - What's the difference?

erudition | encyclopedia |

As nouns the difference between erudition and encyclopedia

is that erudition is profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship while 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.

erudition

Noun

(-)
  • Profound knowledge, especially that based on learning and scholarship.
  • Synonyms

    * (profound knowledge) knowledge, information, learning, lore, scholarship, scholarism

    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