Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

125 results found

Laclede, Pierre

(Encyclopedia)Laclede, Pierre pyĕr läklĕdˈ [key], c.1724–1778, French pioneer in the United States. His surname was Liguest, but he adopted the name Pierre Laclede. He went to New Orleans in 1755 and was a me...

Perrot, Jules

(Encyclopedia)Perrot, Jules pĕrōˈ [key], 1810–92, French dancer and choreographer, b. Lyons. Perrot studied with Auguste Vestris (see under Vestris, Gaetan) and Salvatore Vigano. He gained fame as a dancer be...

Lydgate, John

(Encyclopedia)Lydgate, John lĭdˈgāt [key], c.1370–c.1450, English poet, a monk of Bury St. Edmunds. A professed disciple of Chaucer, he was one of the most influential, voluminous, and versatile writers of the...

Mauroy, Pierre

(Encyclopedia)Mauroy, Pierre pyĕr môrwäˈ [key], 1928–2013, French politician. Educated at the École National d'Apprentissage de Cachan, he was a teacher and an active member of the new Socialist party from t...

Claudel, Camille

(Encyclopedia)Claudel, Camille (Camille-Rosalie Claudel) kämēˈyə-rōzälēˈ klōdĕlˈ [key], 1864–1943, French sculptor. The sister of the writer Paul Claudel, she studied at the Colarossi Academy (now the ...

Dior, Christian

(Encyclopedia)Dior, Christian krēstyäNˈ dē-ôrˈ [key], 1905–57, French fashion designer. He established his main house of couture in Paris (1946) and by 1958 had salons in 15 countries employing more than 2,...

Rocard, Michel Louis Léon

(Encyclopedia)Rocard, Michel Louis Léon, 1930–2016, French political leader. After studying at the École Nationale d'Administration and the Institut d'Études Politiques, he joined the civil service. He led the...

altruism

(Encyclopedia)altruism ălˈtro͞oĭzˈəm [key], concept in philosophy and psychology that holds that the interests of others, rather than of the self, can motivate an individual. The term was invented in the 19th...

Jussieu

(Encyclopedia)Jussieu zhüsyöˈ [key], French family of distinguished botanists. Antoine de Jussieu, 1686–1758, was director of the Jardin des Plantes, Paris. He edited Jacques Barrelier's posthumously published...

Messmer, Pierre

(Encyclopedia)Messmer, Pierre (Pierre Joseph Auguste Messmer) pyĕr mĕsmāˈ [key], 1916–, French political leader. In World War II he fought with the Free French forces before joining General de Gaulle's staff....