That an article is "more than a definition" doesn't make it an encyclopaedia article.  Non-stub dictionary articles are "more than a definition", too.  Non-stub dictionary articles contain pronunciations, etymologies (with references), synonyms, antonyms, homophones, alternative spellings, translations, derived and related terms, and (yes!) illustrative quotations where the word has been used in well-known works.  My opinion is that a dictionary article, mis-placed here in the encyclopaedia, that has been deleted should stay deleted.