ONLINE ENCYCLOPEDIA Meaning and
Definition
-
An online encyclopedia refers to a digital resource that provides authoritative and comprehensive information on a wide range of topics. It serves as an electronic equivalent of a traditional encyclopedia but is made available exclusively over the internet. Online encyclopedias are typically interactive platforms that allow users to access and retrieve information through various means such as search functionalities, hyperlinks, and cross-references.
Primarily created and maintained collaboratively by a community of contributors, online encyclopedias encourage users to contribute their knowledge and expertise to expand and refine the content. As a result, these resources often undergo constant updates and revisions, ensuring the accuracy and relevance of the information provided.
Online encyclopedias cover diverse subjects including arts, science, history, popular culture, technology, and more. They consist of articles, essays, entries, or entries known as "pages," which encapsulate consolidated information on a specific topic. These pages typically include comprehensive overviews, brief histories, relevant facts, explanations, and sources for further exploration.
The accessibility of online encyclopedias allows users to quickly and conveniently access information from anywhere with an internet connection. They have become valuable tools for research, academic purposes, general knowledge acquisition, and fact-checking due to their vast and easily navigable content. However, it is crucial to critically assess the sources and corroborate information obtained from online encyclopedias with other reliable sources to ensure its reliability and accuracy.
Etymology of ONLINE ENCYCLOPEDIA
The word "online" is a compound of "on" and "line" and refers to something connected to or operated through a computer or computer network. It originated in the early 20th century.
The word "encyclopedia" comes from the Latin word "encyclopaedia", which is derived from the Greek words "enkyklios paideia", meaning "general education" or "circle of knowledge". It originally referred to a comprehensive body of knowledge and was used to describe books containing information on various subjects.
So, the term "online encyclopedia" combines the concept of a comprehensive body of knowledge with the idea of accessing and sharing that knowledge through a computer or network.
