List of encyclopedias by date


This is a list of encyclopedias, arranged by time period. For other arrangements, see Lists of encyclopedias.

Encyclopedias before 1700

Nine Books of Disciplines by Marcus Terentius Varro Naturalis Historia by Pliny the Elder ; highly influential through the Middle Ages, the oldest encyclopedia for which there is an extant copyDe verborum significatione by Sextus Pompeius Festus Onomasticon by Julius Pollux The Emperor's Mirror, Wei dynasty, Chinese De compendiosa doctrina, by Nonius Marcellus

5th century

6th century

7th century

8th century

9th century

10th century

11th century

De omnifaria doctrina, by Michael PsellosSpeculum universale, by Radulfus Ardens

12th century

De diversis artibus, compiled 1100-1120 by Theophilus Presbyter Manasollasa composed by king Someshvara III of the Western Chalukya Empire of India.

13th century

Otia Imperialia by Gervase of Tilbury, 1214

14th century

15th century

16th century

17th century

In Chinese

In English

In French

In Hungarian

In Latin

Encyclopedias published 1700–1800

In Chinese

In English

American encyclopedias

British encyclopedias

In French

In German

In Italian

In Japanese

In Polish

Encyclopedias published 1800–1900

In Arabic

In Czech

Riegrův slovník naučný

In Danish

Salmonsens Konversationsleksikon Den Store Danske Leksikon - several editions, up to 26 volumes

In Dutch

In English

American encyclopedias

British encyclopedias

In French

In German

In Hungarian

Fejér György: A tudományok encyclopaediája rövid rajzolatban, Pest Lánghy István: A tudományok ismeretére tanító könyv, Pest Nyiry István: A tudományok öszvessége, Sárospatak Közhasznú Esmeretek Tára, Pest Ifjúsági ismeretek, Bécs Vállas Antal: Nemzeti encyclopaedia, Pest Ujabb kori ismeretek tára, Pest Ismerettár. Nélkülözhetetlen segédkönyv a történelem, természet s egyéb tudományok köréből, Pest Egyetemes magyar encyclopaedia Magyar lexikon, Budapest

In Japanese

In Polish

  • Encyklopedia Powszechna or Encyklopedia Orgelbranda
  • ''Encyyklopedia Kościelna''

In Romanian

In Russian

Plyushar's Encyclopedic Lexicon Military Encyclopedic Lexicon

In Spanish

Enciclopedia moderna, Francisco de P. Mellado
  • ''Diccionario geográfico, estadístico, histórico, de la isla de Cuba''

In Swedish

Conversations-lexicon, a translation of the German Brockhaus 2nd editionSvenskt konversationslexikon, by Per Gustaf BergNordisk familjebok first edition 20 volumes 1876-1899 Nordisk familjebok second edition 38 volumes 1904-1926 Nordisk familjebok third edition 26 volumes 1924-1939 Nordisk familjebok third edition 26 volumes, second printing, including not so few coloured posters and a huge number of full page black and white portraits. These The additional pages are not enumerated. 1942-1944. The second printing also got a new binder, but not even errors are corrected inside the work. Still a notable enough difference when compared to the first printing.Nordisk familjebok fourth edition 22 volumes 1951-1955.Svensk Uppslagsbok first edition 30 volumes 1929-1937 Svensk Uppslagsbok second edition 32 volumes 1947-1955 Bonniers Lexikon 15 volumes 1961-1967. Known as "Äpplet", "The Apple". Perhaps the most widely spread encyclopedia ever, written in the Swedish language. Looks nice on the shelf.Reflex 4 volumes for children age 10 and older. 1968-1971. A regular inventory in many Swedish class rooms during the 1970's. The new Bonniers Lexikon 24 volumes, 1993-1998. Nationalencyklopedin or NE 20 volumes, 1989-1996. DVD versions in 1996 and 2000. Online today.

In Turkish

Kamus-ül-Ulûm ve’l-Maarif Editor Ali Suavi, 1870Lûgaat-i Tarihiye ve Coğrafiye Editor Ahmet Rıfat Efendi, 1881 Sicil-i Osmani Editor Mehmet Süreyya Bey, 1890Kamus-ül-Alam Editor » : Şemsettin Sami, 1899

Encyclopedias about religion

Specialist encyclopedias