compendium
Compendium (noun) means a collection of detailed information on a subject, gathered into a single book or document, especially one arranged for easy reference. Example: “The volume is a compendium of every British bird recorded since 1800.”
How to Use Compendium
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishOne book that gathers together everything known about a subject.
Slightly formal; common in titles of reference works.
A compendium is always of something — the phrase almost never stands alone.
Trace the full origin ↓Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The volume is a _____ of every British bird recorded since 1800.
Etymology
From Latin compendium "a saving, a shortening", from compendere "to weigh together".
Related Words
Rhymes for compendium
See all rhymes for compendium →Frequently Asked Questions
What is the plural of compendium?
Both compendiums and compendia are correct. Compendiums is the more common everyday plural; compendia keeps the Latin form and is usual in academic and library contexts.
What is the difference between a compendium and an anthology?
An anthology gathers complete works — poems, stories, essays — chosen for their quality. A compendium gathers information about a subject and organises it for reference, so it is more likely to be summarised, condensed and indexed than reprinted whole.
Does a compendium have to be short?
The Latin root suggests condensing, and a compendium does aim to save the reader effort, but the modern sense stresses completeness. Many compendiums run to hundreds of pages because they cover a whole field in one place.