List of encyclopedias by branch of knowledge


This is a list of notable encyclopedias sorted by branch of knowledge. For the purposes of this list, an encyclopedia is defined as a "compendium that contains information on either all branches of knowledge or a particular branch of knowledge." For other sorting standards, see List of encyclopedias.

General knowledge

Catalan

Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana – Catalan-language encyclopedia, started in fascicles, and published in 1968 by

Chinese

Encyclopedia of ChinaComplete Classics Collection of Ancient China – Chinese language encyclopedia completed in 1725 Yongle Encyclopedia – once contained 11,095 volumes and around 370 million Chinese characters but now contains less than 400 volumes

Czech

Riegrův slovník naučný – first Czech encyclopedia published in 1860–1874 with 11 volumes, supplement vol. in 1890, )Otto's encyclopedia – largest Czech-language encyclopedia published between 1888 and 1908 and 1930–1943. Příruční slovník naučný – first post-war encyclopedia. With strong communist ideology. Four volumes, 1962–1967.Malá československá encklopedie – Small Czechoslovak encyclopedia, it was supposed to be forerunner to Great Czechoslovak encyclopedia that was never published, 6 volumes, 1984–1987.Diderot Universum

Danish

Dutch

Winkler Prins – published in print between 1870 and 1993 and made available digitally to the present dayOosthoek – published between 1907 and 1981Christelijke Encyclopedie – published between 1926 and 2005Eerste Nederlandse Systematisch Ingerichte Encyclopaedie – published between 1946 and 1952Standaard Encyclopedie – published between 1969 and 1974 by Standaard Uitgeverij AntwerpenGrote Nederlandse Larousse Encyclopedie – published between 1971 and 1979Grote Spectrum Encyclopedie – published between 1974 and 1980

English

Academic American Encyclopedia – 21-volume work published in 1980, also issued by Grolier under the names Barnes & Noble New American Encyclopedia, Global International Encyclopedia, Grolier Academic Encyclopedia, Grolier International Encyclopedia, Lexicon Universal Encyclopedia, and Macmillan Family EncyclopediaChambers's Encyclopaedia – published in 1859 by W. Chambers and R. ChambersThe Children's Encyclopedia – by Arthur Mee, published 1908–64 in the UK and in the US starting in 1910 as Grolier's The Book of KnowledgeChildren's Illustrated Encyclopedia – published by Dorling KindersleyCollier's EncyclopediaColumbia Encyclopedia – one-volume encyclopedia from Columbia University Press last published in 2000The Complete Compendium of Universal Knowledge Compton's Encyclopedia – 26-volume encyclopediaCompton's Interactive EncyclopediaCyclopædia, or an Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences – 1728 publication by Ephraim ChambersDobson's Encyclopædia – first encyclopedia printed in the United States, but mostly a reprint of the Encyclopædia Britannica Third EditionEdinburgh Encyclopædia – 18 volumes printed and published by William Blackwood and edited by David Brewster between 1808 and 1830Encyclopædia Britannica – one of the best-known encyclopedias in English, online-only since 2010Encyclopædia Britannica Ultimate Reference Suite – DVD version of Encyclopædia BritannicaEncyclopædia Metropolitana – 39 volumes in 59 parts published between 1817 and 1845Encyclopedia Americana – both a print work and currently a part of Grolier Multimedia EncyclopediaEnglish Cyclopaedia – 23 volumes, published 1854–1862English Encyclopaedia – 10 volumes, published in 1802Everybody's Enquire Within – illustrated book of miscellaneous knowledge issued in weekly instalments from 1937 to 1938Everyman's Encyclopaedia – published by Joseph Dent from 1913 as part of the Everyman's LibraryEverything2 – collaborative Web-based database of interlinked user-submitted articlesFunk & Wagnalls Standard Encyclopedia – first published in 1912; changed its name to Funk & Wagnalls New Standard Encyclopedia in 1931Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia – electronic encyclopedia published by GrolierGroliers EncyclopediaHarmsworth's Universal Encyclopaedia – edited by John Alexander Hammerton and published 1921–22Hutchinson Encyclopedia – single-volume work first published in 1948New American Cyclopedia – 16 volumes published between 1857 and 1866Nupedia – peer reviewed, open content online encyclopedia project, currently inactiveOpen Site – effort inspired by, but not officially affiliated with, the Open Directory ProjectOracle Encyclopædia – five-volume encyclopedia published in 1895An Outline of Modern Knowledge – published in 1931 by Victor GollanczPears Cyclopaedia – one-volume encyclopaedia published annually in the United KingdomProbert Encyclopaedia – online topical encyclopedia consisting of almost 100,000 short entries, published by Mathew Probert and based in the United KingdomWorld Book Encyclopedia – designed for family use; the world's best selling print encyclopedia

French

Découvertes Gallimard – illustrated encyclopaedia in pocket format, 588 volumes plus 150⁺ volumes of spin-offs, published 1986–presentEncyclopédie, ou dictionnaire raisonné des sciences, des arts et des métiers – contributed by the Encyclopédistes, edited by Denis Diderot and Jean le Rond d'Alembert, published 1751–1772

German

Allgemeine Encyclopädie der Wissenschaften und Künste – very large, unfinished 19th-century encyclopaedia by Ersch and Gruber in 167 volumes

Indonesian

Italian

Treccani – also known as ''Enciclopedia Italiana di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti''

Latin

Lexicon Universale – published in 1698

Lithuanian

Persian

The Book of Healing – 30-volume Persian-language encyclopedia published by Avicenna in 1027 The Persian Encyclopedia – three-volume encyclopedia edited by Gholamhossein Mosahab, partially based on the early editions of the ''Columbia Encyclopedia''

Polish

Nowe Ateny – published in 1745–1746Universal Encyclopedia – 1859, 28 volumes, OrgelbrandWielka Encyklopedia Powszechna PWN – 1962–1970, 13 volumes, PWNWielka Encyklopedia PWN – 2001–2005, 31 volumes, PWN

Russian

Brockhaus and Efron – imperial encyclopedia in 86 volumesGreat Soviet Encyclopedia – second largest and most comprehensive encyclopedia in Russian; there were three editions; the third edition of 1969–78 contains 30 volumesGreat Russian Encyclopedia – universal Russian encyclopedia, completed in 36 volumes

Slovak

Slovenský náučný slovník. 3 volumes 1932. First general encyclopedia in Slovak language. Pyramída. Published between 1971 and 1990 in journal form.Malá slovenská encyklopédia. 1 volume 1993Encyclopaedia Beliana. 20 planned volumes, 1999–, 9 volumes published as of 2021Všeobecný encyklopedický slovník. 2002, four volumesSlovak Wikipedia. 2003–Univerzum – všeobecná obrazová encyklopédia A – Ž. 1 volume, 2011

Slovenian

Spanish

Enciclopedia Libre Universal – project to create a Spanish encyclopedia using wiki software, released under the GFDLEnciclopedia universal ilustrada europeo-americana – largest encyclopedia of its time; also known as ''Enciclopedia Espasa o Enciclopedia Espasa-Calpe''

Swedish

Nationalencyklopedin – encyclopedia in SwedishSusning.nu – project to create a Swedish-language encyclopedia using wiki software; an anyone-can-edit encyclopedia until 2004; shut down in 2009

Turkish

Anabritannica – published in Turkey and based on the ''Britannica Micropædia''

Ukrainian

Ukrainian Soviet Encyclopedia – encyclopedia in Ukrainian; its first edition was 17 volumes

Multiple languages

Microsoft Encarta – computer-based encyclopedia published by Microsoft, now discontinued
  • Wikipedia – world's largest free encyclopedia; a project to create a comprehensive encyclopedia using wiki software

Specialized encyclopedias

National, regional, ethnic or cultural

Australia

Austria

Bangladesh

Banglapedia – 10 volumes published in 2003; bilingual; English and Bengali

Brazil

' – 2020
  • ' – 2001' – 1960–2010
  • ' – 1981' – 1972
  • ' – 1969 – 1957

Canada

The Canadian Encyclopedia

Croatia

Ethiopia

Encyclopaedia Aethiopica – basic reference work for Ethiopian and Eritrean studies

Germany

Iceland

Iran

Encyclopædia Iranica – on Iranian peoples and PersiaEncyclopaedia IslamicaEncyclopaedia of Imam AliThe Encyclopedia of Iranian Old Music – published in Tehran, 2000Encyclopaedia of Persian Language and Literature – published by the Academy of Persian Language and Literature in Persian in Tehran

Italy

Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani – Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana

Malaysia

The Encyclopedia of Malaysia – published from 1998 to 2007

Morocco

Maelimat al-maghrib – published between 1989 and 2006 totaling 27 volumes.

New Zealand

The Cyclopedia of New Zealand – unofficial; most subjects paid to have their articles appear; online at the New Zealand Electronic Text CentreAn Encyclopaedia of New Zealand – officialTe Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand – official, incorporating the full text of ''An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand''

Poland

Encyklopedia Polski – 2005, 10 volumes

Portugal

' – since 2016
  • ' – since 2008 – 1921–1940

Slovakia

Encyklopédia Slovenska. 6 volumes, 1977–1982.

Slovenia

Enciklopedija Slovenije – published in 1987–2002

Sweden

Nordisk familjebok – encyclopedia in Swedish

Ukraine

Encyclopedia of Ukraine – English five-volume version of the Encyclopedia of Ukrainian StudiesInternet Encyclopedia of Ukraine – online version of the Encyclopedia of UkraineEncyclopedia of Modern Ukraine – multi-volume comprehensive encyclopedia about Ukraine from the 20th and 21st centuries

United Kingdom

The London Encyclopaedia – 1007-page reference of the city of London; pub. 1983

United States

Encyclopedia of ChicagoEncyclopedia of New JerseyThe Encyclopedia of New York City

Yugoslavia

Enciklopedija Jugoslavije

Field

Art and architecture

Encyclopedia of Vernacular Architecture of the World – in 3 volumes Grove Dictionary of Art – in 34 volumes

Entertainment

Allgame – comprehensive online guide to computer and video games created by All Media GuideAllmovie – comprehensive online guide to movies created by All Media GuideAllmusic – comprehensive online guide to music created by All Media GuideThe Aurum Film Encyclopedia

Environmental science

Encyclopedia of Earth – electronic reference about the Earth, its natural environments, and their interaction with societyEncyclopedia of Life Support Systems – sponsored by UNESCO—an interdisciplinary encyclopedia, inspired by the sustainable development movement

Fashion and dress

Berg Encyclopedia of World Dress and Fashion – edited by Joanne B. Eicher, 10 volumes

Fiction

The Rocklopedia Fakebandica – by T. Mike Childs, published in 2004The Star Trek Encyclopedia

History and biography

African American National BiographyAfricana – The Encyclopedia of the African and African-American ExperienceAmerican National BiographyAppleton's Cyclopedia of American Biography – 19th-century American encyclopediaConspiracy EncyclopediaAn Encyclopedia of World History – single-volume work; First Edition, 1940; Sixth Edition, 2001Encyklopedia PolskiHarper's Encyclopedia of United States History' – Brazilian encyclopædia published in 1969

Law

American JurisprudenceCorpus Juris SecundumHalsbury's Laws of AustraliaHalsbury's Laws of EnglandStair Memorial Encyclopaedia

Library and Information Science

Encyclopedia of Library and Information Sciences

Literature

Benet's Reader's EncyclopediaBenet's Reader's Encyclopedia of American LiteratureThe Cambridge History of English and American LiteratureThe Encyclopedia of Science Fiction – first published in 1979 by John Clute and Peter NichollsEncyclopaedia of Indian LiteratureLiterary Encyclopedia – 11 volumes, 1929–39 The Literary Encyclopedia – online encyclopedia started in 2000The Penguin Encyclopedia of Horror and the Supernatural – published in 1986; edited by Jack SullivanThe Poets' Encyclopedia – edited by Michael AndreSoviet Concise Literary Encyclopedia – Soviet-era encyclopedia of literature; 9 volumes published between 1962 and 1978Cyrillo-Methodian Encyclopedia of the Institute of Literature at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences from 1985 to 2003.Kindlers Literature Encyclopedia – German encyclopedia about world literature. Online-only since 2009.Killy Literaturlexikon – German encyclopedia of German authors. Second edition in 12 volumes from 2008 to 2011.

Mathematics

CRC Concise Encyclopedia of Mathematics – second edition 2002, based on MathworldEncyclopaedia of Mathematics – published by Springer Verlag in 2002Encyclopedia of Cryptography and Security – published by Springer-Verlag in 2005Encyclopedia of Statistical Sciences - second edition published by John Wiley & Sons in 2006Encyclopedic Dictionary of Mathematics – second edition published in 1993 by The Mathematical Society of JapanKlein's encyclopedia – published 1898–1935Mathworld – online encyclopedia by Eric WeissteinOn-Line Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences

Medicine

Kitab al-Tasrif – by Abu al-Qasim al-Zahrawi The Canon of Medicine – by AvicennaEncyclopedia of Public HealthMedical Compendium in Seven Books – by Paul of Aegina in the 7th century CE; it was the most complete medical encyclopedia in its day

Music

Eerste Nederlandse Pop EncyclopedieEncyclopedia of Popular MusicThe Grove Dictionary of Music and MusiciansInternational Encyclopedia of Women ComposersMusik in Geschichte und GegenwartThe New Grove Dictionary of Opera
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Nautical

  • Bibliography of encyclopedias#Nautical dictionaries and encyclopædias

Philosophy

Encyclopedia of Philosophy – edited by Paul EdwardsInternet Encyclopedia of Philosophy – online encyclopediaRoutledge Encyclopedia of PhilosophyStanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy – online encyclopedia

Religion

Christianity
– 17th-century Portuguese encyclopædia on hagiography and ecclesiastical mattersThe Catholic Encyclopedia – 1907–1912 Encyclopædia BiblicaEncyclopedia of Christianity – John Stephen Bowden, ed., 1 vol., Oxford UP, 2006Encyclopedia of MormonismLexikon für Theologie und Kirche – 1930–38 New Catholic encyclopedia – 1967–96 ; 2. ed. 2003 Theologische Realenzyklopädie – ed. Gerhard Müller. 38 vls.; Berlin 1977–2007Twentieth Century Encyclopedia of Catholicism – Hawthorn Books. 150 vls.; New York City 1958–1971
Islam
Encyclopaedia IslamicaEncyclopaedia of Imam AliEncyclopaedia of IslamEncyclopaedia of ShiaThe Hussaini EncyclopediaUrdu Encyclopaedia of Islam or Urdu Daira Maarif Islamiya is the largest Islamic encyclopedia published in Urdu by University of the Punjab.

Science

Encyclopedia Astronautica – reference website maintained by space-travel enthusiast Mark WadeEncyclopedia of Analytical Chemistry – Wiley, 2000, 15 volumesEncyclopedia of Flora and Fauna of BangladeshEncyclopedia of GeneticsEncyclopedia of Life Sciences – owned by John Wiley & Sons; both a 20-volume print edition and an online editionThe Illustrated Science and Invention EncyclopediaMcGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology – also available in a one-volume editionThe New Encyclopedia of Snakes
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Engineering

Chemical Engineering
Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry – currently in its 7th edition; first edition in German available in the public domain.

Social sciences

International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences – edited by Neil Smelser and Paul Baltes, 26 vls., Elsevier, 2001International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences – edited by David L. Sills, New York, New York ; Macmillan, 1968International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences – edited by William A. Darity, Jr., Detroit ; Macmillan Reference USA, 2008
Economics
The New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics – 2nd Edition

Sports

The Baseball EncyclopediaTotal Baseball, The Ultimate Baseball Encyclopedia – 2004, by John Thorn et al.World Sports Encyclopedia – 2003, Atena/MBI

Other

Atlas of the Prehistoric WorldAbove and Beyond: The Encyclopedia of Aviation and Space SciencesChristie's World Encyclopedia of Champagne & Sparkling WineEncyclopedia of CyberneticsEncyclopedia of Marxism – online encyclopedia released under the GNU Free Documentation License, part of the Marxist Internet Archive.The Grocer's EncyclopediaIllustrated Encyclopedia of AircraftLarousse Gastronomique – encyclopedia of food and cookingA Military EncyclopediaMining EncyclopediaMusicBrainz – project to create a free music encyclopedia, released under the Open Content License; the first goal is to create a database similar to CDDBThe Oxford Companion to WinePerelman's Pocket Cyclopedia of Cigars – encyclopedia and history of cigars and their manufacturers The Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia' – Brazilian state-sponsored school encyclopædia during the military dictatorship
  • ' – Encyclopedia of Recipe