مَوْسُوعَة
mawsūʕafeminine
Encyclopedia in Arabic is مَوْسُوعَة (mawsūʕa), a reference work with articles on many topics. If unsure, use مَوْسُوعَة. Wiktionary also lists دَائِرَة مَعَارِف (dāʔirat maʕārif).
Meaning: comprehensive reference work with articles on a range of topics (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| مَوْسُوعَة | mawsūʕa | feminine |
| دَائِرَة مَعَارِف | dāʔirat maʕārif | feminine |
مَوْسُوعَة is the everyday modern word for an encyclopedia, whether a printed set of books or an online one.
What does it mean word for word?
الموسوعة goes back to the root وسع, meaning to encompass or to contain. دَائِرَة مَعَارِف literally means circle of knowledge.
Which one should you use?
دَائِرَة مَعَارِف is a more traditional or classical way to say encyclopedia, while مَوْسُوعَة is the more modern word.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both words are feminine. The plural of مَوْسُوعَة is مَوْسُوعَات (mawsūʕāt).
Did you know?
- Arabic speakers use the root وسع from مَوْسُوعَة to describe not just books, but also a generous heart or an expansive mind. It links the idea of a comprehensive reference work to the virtue of openness.
- The word دَائِرَة in دَائِرَة مَعَارِف is also the standard word for a government department or administrative office. This gives the phrase a double meaning of being both a 'circle' and an 'office' of knowledge.
- While مَوْسُوعَة is the modern standard, the phrase دَائِرَة مَعَارِف is a literal translation of the Greek concept of a 'circle of learning'. It mirrors the logic of the English word 'encyclopedia' using an entirely different linguistic root.
Examples in context
- أجد دائمًا الموسوعة مفيدة للبحث عن المعلومات.I always find the encyclopedia useful for researching information.
- هَذِهِ مَوْسُوعَةٌ عِلْمِيَّةٌ كَبِيرَةٌ.hadhihi mawsu'atun 'ilmiyyatun kabiratun.This is a large scientific encyclopedia.
- أَحْتَاجُ إِلَى مَوْسُوعَةٍ عَنِ التَّارِيخِ.ahtaju ila mawsu'atin 'ani at-tarikh.I need an encyclopedia about history.
- قَرَأْتُ مَوْسُوعَةً جَدِيدَةً اليَوْمَ.qara'tu mawsu'atan jadidatan al-yawm.I read a new encyclopedia today.
Example conversation
Ziad and Layla are at a library.
- زياد Ziadهَلْ عِنْدَكِ مَوْسُوعَةٌ عَنِ الفَضَاءِ؟hal 'indaki mawsu'atun 'ani al-fada'?Do you have an encyclopedia about space?
- ليلى Laylaنَعَمْ، هِيَ هُنَا فِي هَذَا الرَّفِّ.na'am, hiya huna fi hadha ar-raff.Yes, it is here on this shelf.
- زياد Ziadشُكْرًا لَكِ يَا لَيْلَى.shukran laki ya Layla.Thank you, Layla.
- ليلى Laylaعَفْوًا، هَلْ تُرِيدُ المَزِيدَ مِنَ المُسَاعَدَةِ؟afwan, hal turidu al-mazida mina al-musa'adah?You're welcome, do you want more help?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “encyclopedia” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
