Where does “encyclopædian” come from?

encyclopædian (English) comes from English encyclopædia, from New Latin encyclopaedia, from Ancient Greek παιδείᾱ, from Ancient Greek παῖς, from Proto-Hellenic pā́wits, from Proto-Indo-European péh₂wids, from Proto-Indo-European peh₂w- — few, little; smallness.

encyclopædian (English): Archaic form of encyclopedian

Definitions

  1. Archaic form of encyclopedian

Ancestry of “encyclopædian”, step by step

encyclopædian traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English encyclopædia

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishencyclopædiaArchaic spelling of encyclopedia
2New Latinencyclopaediageneral education; encyclopedia
3Ancient Greekπαιδείᾱrearing of a child, education; child-rearing,...
4Ancient Greekπαῖςchild, son, daughter; young person, child, boy,...
5Proto-Hellenicpā́witschild
6Proto-Indo-Europeanpéh₂wids—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanpeh₂w-few, little; smallness

via English ān

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishān—
2Middle Englishāna, an indefinite article
3Old Englishānlonely; entirely alone, solitary, single; one
4Proto-West Germanicainone
5Proto-Germanicainazone; some
6Proto-Indo-Europeanóynosone; single
Every word from Proto-Indo-European peh₂w- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European péh₂wids →Every word from Proto-Hellenic pā́wits →