# Encyclopedia.com
> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Encyclopedia.com
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Encyclopedia.com.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encyclopedia.com
> Source revision: 1332446743
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
{{short description|Online encyclopedia}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{italic title}}
{{Infobox website
| name = ''Encyclopedia.com''
| logo = Encyclopedia.com logo.svg
| logo_alt = Encyclopedia.com logo
| screenshot = Encyclopedia.com homepage.png
| collapsible = yes
| screenshot_size =
| screenshot_alt =
| caption = Homepage in October 2024
| url = {{Official URL}}
| commercial = Yes
| type = [Online encyclopedia](/source/Online_encyclopedia)
| registration = No
| language = English
| content_license = Copyrighted
| owner = [Gale](/source/Gale_(publisher))
| creator = [Infonautics](/source/Infonautics)
| launch_date = {{Start date and age|1998|03}}
| revenue = [Display advertising](/source/Display_advertising)
| oclc = 405663034
| current_status = Online
}}
'''''Encyclopedia.com'''''[{{cite web |title=Reference: Encyclopedias |url=https://curlie.org/Reference/Encyclopedias/ |website=[Curlie.org](/source/Curlie.org) |language=en |access-date=27 Sep 2024 |archive-date=May 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230527020415/https://curlie.org/Reference/Encyclopedias/ |url-status=live}}] is an [online encyclopedia](/source/online_encyclopedia). It aggregates information, images, and videos from other published dictionaries, encyclopedias, and reference works.
== History ==
The website was launched by [Infonautics](/source/Infonautics) in March 1998.[{{cite magazine |date=March 1998 |title=Infonautics Launches Encyclopedia.Com |url=https://www.questia.com/magazine/1G1-20341277/infonautics-launches-encyclopedia-com |magazine=Information Today |language=en |volume=15 |issue=3 |issn=8755-6286 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180614221256/https://www.questia.com/magazine/1G1-20341277/infonautics-launches-encyclopedia-com |archive-date=June 14, 2018 |url-access=subscription |via=[Questia](/source/Questia)}}] Infonautics was acquired by [Tucows](/source/Tucows) in August 2001.[{{cite news |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/15/technology/basics-a-reference-library-on-disc-or-online.html |url-access=limited |title=BASICS; A Reference Library On Disc or Online |first=Larry |last=Magid |date=August 15, 2002 |page=G7 |issn=1553-8095 |access-date=27 Sep 2024 |archive-date=August 10, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220810173654/https://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/15/technology/basics-a-reference-library-on-disc-or-online.html |url-status=live}}]
In August 2002, [Patrick Spain](/source/Patrick_Spain) bought ''Encyclopedia.com'' and its sister website [eLibrary](/source/eLibrary) from [Tucows](/source/Tucows) and incorporated them into a new company called Alacritude, LLC (a combination of Alacrity and Attitude).[{{cite web |last=Hane |first=Paula J. |date=August 26, 2002 |title=Tucows Sells Two Former Infonautics Services |url=https://newsbreaks.infotoday.com/nbreader.asp?ArticleID=17104 |website=Newsbreaks.infotoday.com |publisher=Information Today, Inc. |access-date=27 Sep 2024 |archive-date=March 12, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110312072603/http://newsbreaks.infotoday.com/nbreader.asp?ArticleID=17104 |url-status=live}}] The business became known as [HighBeam Research](/source/HighBeam_Research) and was eventually sold to [Gale](/source/Gale_(publisher)).[{{Cite press release |last=Creguer |first=Tina |date=December 15, 2008 |title=Gale Acquires HighBeam Research, Inc. |language=en-US |publisher=Cengage |url=https://news.cengage.com/library-research/gale-acquires-highbeam-research-inc |archive-date=April 22, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210422014144/https://news.cengage.com/library-research/gale-acquires-highbeam-research-inc/ |url-status=dead}}][{{cite web |author=Gwen |date=December 16, 2008 |title=Internet News: Gale Acquired HighBeam Research |url=http://www.websearchguide.ca/netblog/archives/008099.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120305194620/http://www.websearchguide.ca/netblog/archives/008099.html |archive-date=March 5, 2012 |website=Websearchguide.ca}}] For a time the website was operated by [Chicago](/source/Chicago)-based company [Highbeam Research](/source/Highbeam_Research), a subsidiary of reference publisher [Gale](/source/Gale_(publisher)), which itself is a subsidiary of [Cengage](/source/Cengage).[{{cite web |last=Myers |first=Fort |date=July 27, 2011 |title=Partnership With HighBeam Research and Encyclopedia.com |url=http://www.yippyinc.com/insights/announces-partnership-with-highbeam/ |publisher=[Yippy, Inc.](/source/Yippy%2C_Inc.) |archive-date=March 25, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180325232142/http://www.yippyinc.com/insights/announces-partnership-with-highbeam/ |url-status=dead}}][{{Cite web |date=2025-04-23 |title=Digital 2025: exploring trends in Wikipedia traffic |url=https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2025-exploring-trends-in-wikipedia-traffic |access-date=2026-01-11 |website=DataReportal – Global Digital Insights |language=en-GB}}]
== Content ==
''Encyclopedia.com'' allows users to access information on a subject that is derived from multiple encyclopedias and dictionary sources,[{{cite web |last=Gross |first=Melanie |url=https://www.ghacks.net/2012/05/21/wikipedia-down-try-these-alternatives/ |title=Wikipedia down? Try these alternatives |website=[Ghacks.net](/source/Ghacks.net) |date=May 21, 2012 |access-date=27 Sep 2024 |archive-date=March 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230327003459/https://www.ghacks.net/2012/05/21/wikipedia-down-try-these-alternatives/ |url-status=live}}] and it has nearly 200,000 entries and 50,000 topic summaries. It provides a collection of online encyclopedias and entries from various sources, including [Oxford University Press](/source/Oxford_University_Press), ''[Columbia Encyclopedia](/source/Columbia_Encyclopedia)'', and [Gale](/source/Gale_(publisher)), its parent company.[{{cite web |title=About Encyclopedia.com |website=Encyclopedia.com |url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/about |access-date=27 Sep 2024 |archive-date=March 9, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220309201127/https://www.encyclopedia.com/about |url-status=live}}][{{cite web |title=The World's #1 Online Encyclopedia |url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/ |access-date=27 Sep 2024 |website=Encyclopedia.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180713030447/https://www.encyclopedia.com/ |archive-date=July 13, 2018 |language=en |url-status=live}}]
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
== External links ==
* {{Official website}}
{{Cengage}}
Category:American online encyclopedias
Category:21st-century encyclopedias
Category:Internet properties established in 1998
---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Encyclopedia.com](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encyclopedia.com) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encyclopedia.com?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.