1. a person who writes, edits, or contributes to an encyclopedia
Usage: also spelled 'encyclopedist' in American English
2. a person of broad and varied learning; a scholar with comprehensive knowledge across many subjects
Usage: often used historically to describe Enlightenment-era intellectuals

Examples

• The encyclopaedist spent years researching and writing entries on natural history.
• Diderot was a famous French encyclopaedist of the 18th century.
• She worked as an encyclopaedist, compiling information on diverse topics for the new reference work.
• The encyclopaedist's broad knowledge made him invaluable to the publishing project.
• Many encyclopaedists of the Enlightenment sought to organize and democratize human knowledge.
• He aspired to be an encyclopaedist, mastering subjects from philosophy to botany.