Cyclopedic list

Structure
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

An expansive poetic catalog that aspires to encyclopedic breadth, listing diverse subjects to evoke totality, knowledge, or cosmic order.

Detailed Definition
Cyclopedic list is an exhaustive, encyclopedic enumeration within a poem that catalogs diverse phenomena—objects, names, places, or concepts—often to convey vastness, inclusivity, or the poet’s attempt to capture totality; reminiscent of Whitman’s catalogs, it functions as both inventory and poetic meditation on multiplicity.
Example
Example in poetry:
Cyclopedic list: Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself” includes cyclopedic lists such as “The negro holds firmly the reins of his four horses… the lunatic is carried at last to the asylum…” capturing vast societal scope.
Additional Notes
Cyclopedic list is an expansive, encyclopedic catalog of items, ideas, or images that aims to encompass a worldview or knowledge system; inspired by Whitman or ancient epics, it uses accumulation to evoke totality or abundance.
Also Known As
Skip to main content