Encyclopedia

From Conservapedia

An encyclopedia is a reference book or resource giving information on many subjects or on many aspects of one subject.

The word 'encyclopedia' comes from the Greek phrase meaning 'all around education', the circle of arts and sciences considered by the Greeks as essential to a liberal education, but their emphasis was on the spoken word and it was left to the Romans to record their knowledge in readable form.

French philosopher Perre Bayle intoduced the concept of a nonpartisan reference book in the 1690s.