Defn: Sent to many persons or places; intended for many, or for a whole order of men; general; circular; as, an encyclical letter of a council, of a bishop, or the pope.
ENCYCLIC; ENCYCLICAL
En*cyc"lic, En*cyc"li*cal, n.
Defn: An encyclical letter, esp. one from a pope. Shipley.
ENCYCLOPEDIA; ENCYCLOPAEDIA En*cy`clo*pe"di*a, En*cy`clo*pæ"di*a, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. encyclopédie. See Cyclopedia, and Encyclical.] [Formerly written encyclopædy and encyclopedy.]
Defn: The circle of arts and sciences; a comprehensive summary of knowledge, or of a branch of knowledge; esp., a work in which the various branches of science or art are discussed separately, and usually in alphabetical order; a cyclopedia.
ENCYCLOPEDIACAL
En*cy`clo*pe*di"a*cal, a.
Defn: Encyclopedic.
ENCYCLOPEDIAN
En*cy`clo*pe"di*an, a.
Defn: Embracing the whole circle of learning, or a wide range of subjects.
ENCYCLOPEDIC; ENCYCLOPEDICAL En*cy`clo*ped"ic, En*cy`clo*ped"ic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. encyclopédique.]