Wikipedia

The word “Wikipedia” means a free, multilingual online encyclopedia that anyone can edit, run by the Wikimedia Foundation. In plain terms, the well-known free online encyclopedia anyone can edit; informally, to search it for information.

“Wikipedia” is pronounced wih-kih-PEE-deer (/ˌwɪ.kiˈpidi.ə/ in IPA).

Here is “Wikipedia” used in a sentence: “She checked Wikipedia for a quick summary of the treaty.”

Depending on how it is used, “Wikipedia” can be a name and a verb.

The word “Wikipedia” dates back to around 2001. A blend of "wiki" (a collaboratively editable site) and "encyclopedia," coined by Larry Sanger in 2001.

“Wikipedia” is a fairly common word in modern English.

“Wikipedia” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a free, multilingual online encyclopedia that anyone can edit, run by the Wikimedia Foundation.

Wikipedia is a free, multilingual online encyclopedia that anyone can edit and that is continuously updated by volunteers. A traditional encyclopedia is usually written by paid experts and published in fixed print or digital editions.

Wikipedia is run by the Wikimedia Foundation, a non-profit organization. Its actual articles, however, are written and edited by volunteers around the world.

Yes. Wikipedia is built so that anyone can edit its articles, and this open model is how its content is created and updated. Some pages are protected from editing to reduce vandalism.

Because Wikipedia can be edited by anyone, its accuracy can vary, so it is best treated as a starting point rather than a final authority. Many articles cite sources you can check, and those original sources are often better to reference directly.