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<div>{{Short description|Compilation of a body of knowledge}}<br />
{{About||the computer software|Compendium (software)|the bookshop|Compendium Books}}<br />
{{More citations needed|date=March 2010}}<br />
A '''compendium''' ({{plural form}} '''compendia''' or '''compendiums''') is a comprehensive collection of information and analysis pertaining to a [[body of knowledge]]. A compendium may concisely summarize a larger work. In most cases, the body of knowledge will concern a specific field of human interest or endeavor (for example: [[hydrogeology]], logology, [[ichthyology]], [[phytosociology]] or [[myrmecology]]), while a general [[encyclopedia]] can be referred to as a "compendium of all human knowledge".<br />
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The word ''compendium'' arrives from the Latin word ''compeneri'', meaning "to weigh together or balance". The 21st century has seen the rise of democratized, online compendia in various fields.<br />
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==Meaning, etymology and definitions==<br />
The Latin prefix 'con-' is used in compound words to suggest, 'a being or bringing together of many objects' and also suggests striving for completeness with perfection. And ''compenso'' means "to balance, poise, weigh, offset."<br />
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The entry on the word 'compendious' in the ''[[Online Etymology Dictionary]]'' says "concise, abridged but comprehensive", "concise compilation comprising the general principles or leading points of a longer 'system or work{{'"}}. Its etymology comes from a Medieval Latin use (com+pendere), literally meaning to weigh together.<ref>{{Cite web |title=compendious {{!}} Origin and meaning of compendious |url=https://www.etymonline.com/word/compendious |access-date=2020-11-05 |website=Online Etymology Dictionary}}</ref><br />
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==Examples==<br />
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A [[field guide]] is a compendium of species found within a geographic area, or within a taxon of natural occurrence such as animals, plants, rocks and minerals, or stars. [[Bestiaries]] were medieval compendiums that catalogued animals and facts about natural history, and were particularly popular in England and France around the 12th century.<br />
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A [[cookbook]] is a compendium of recipes within a given food culture.<br />
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An example would be the ''[[Catechism of the Catholic Church]]'', a concise 598-question-and-answer book which summarises the teachings of the Catholic Church.<ref>{{cite book |title=Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church |date=2005 |isbn=978-1-57455-720-6}}</ref><br />
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Most nations have compendiums or compilations of law meant to be comprehensive for use by their judiciary; for example, the [[613 commandments]], or the [[United States Code]].<br />
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The [[Corpus Aristotelicum|collected works of Aristotle]] is a compendium of [[natural philosophy]], [[metaphysics]], language arts, and social science.<br />
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The single volume [[Propædia#Outline of Knowledge|''Propædia'']] is ''[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]'''s compendium of the many volumes of its [[Macropædia|''Macropaedia'']].<br />
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The [[Bible]] is a group of many writings of the law, prophets, and writings of the Hebrew Bible held to be comprehensive and complete within Judaism and called the Old Testament by Christianity.<br />
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Some well known literary figures have written their own compendium. An example would be [[Alexandre Dumas]], author of ''[[The Three Musketeers]]'', and a [[gourmand]]. His compendium on food titled ''From Absinthe to Zest'' serves as an alphabet for food lovers.<br />
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==In popular culture==<br />
"Compendium" appears as a Latin pun in the English translation of the Franco-Belgian comics ''[[Asterix|The Adventures of Asterix]]'', where it is the name of one of the four [[Roman Empire|Roman]] military camps surrounding the [[Gaulish]] village where the protagonists reside.<br />
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Compendium Records was the name of a record store and label, which operated in [[Oslo]], Norway, between 1974 and 1977.<ref>{{cite web |title=compendiumrecords |url=http://compendiumrecords.wordpress.com}}</ref><br />
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==See also==<br />
*[[Edited volume]]<br />
*[[Owners manual|Manual]]<br />
*[[Monograph]]<br />
*[[Treatise]]<br />
*[[Anthology]]<br />
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==References==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
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==External links==<br />
{{Wiktionary}}<br />
* [https://www.oed.com The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' site]<br />
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120703012726/http://www.usp-mc.org/ Medicines Compendium]<br />
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{{Authority control}}<br />
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[[Category:Reference works]]</div>2600:1700:6E10:B090:8D76:16A3:8834:AE7