Where does “encyclopaedia” come from?

encyclopaedia (New Latin) comes 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.

encyclopaedia (New Latin): general education; encyclopedia

Definitions

  1. general education; encyclopedia

Ancestry of “encyclopaedia”, step by step

encyclopaedia traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Ancient Greek παιδείᾱ

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

via Koine Greek ἐγκύκλιος παιδείᾱ

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Koine Greekἐγκύκλιος παιδείᾱ—

Words derived from “encyclopaedia”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European peh₂w- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European péh₂wids →Every word from Proto-Hellenic pā́wits →