A reference work containing articles on various topics. Cross-referenced with 百科事典, which is the more common modern term.
See also: 百科事典
When I was a child, I often read encyclopedias.
More common modern term for encyclopedia. 百科辞書 is an older or less frequent variant.
Compound of 百科 (hyakka, 'hundred subjects') and 辞書 (jisho, 'dictionary'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term follows a common pattern for reference works.