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Tome vs Encyclopedia - What's the difference?

tome | encyclopedia |

As a proper noun tome

is thomas (given name).

As a noun 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.

tome

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • One in a series of volumes.
  • A large or scholarly book.
    • The professor pulled a dusty old tome from the bookshelf.

    Anagrams

    * ----

    encyclopedia

    English

    (wikipedia 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

    Related terms

    * encyclopedical * encyclopedic * encyclopedic fiction * encyclopedist * encyclopedic dictionary

    See also

    * dictionary