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volt

(Encyclopedia)volt [for Alessandro Volta], abbr. V, unit of electric potential and electromotive force. It is defined as the difference of electric potential existing across the ends of a conductor carrying a const...

Witelo of Silesia

(Encyclopedia)Witelo of Silesia or Vitelo, c.1230–75, Silesian physicist, philosopher, and theologian. He studied in Paris and Padua and spent time at the papal palace in Viterbo, Italy. His ten-volume work on op...

Sunni

(Encyclopedia)Sunni so͞oˈnī [key] [Arab. Sunna,=tradition], from ahl al-sunnah wa-l-jamaa [Arab.,=the people of the custom of the Prophet and community], the largest division of Islam. Sunni Islam is the heir to...

United Arab Emirates

(Encyclopedia)CE5 United Arab Emirates, federation of sheikhdoms (2015 est. pop. 5,780,000), c.30,000 sq mi (77,700 sq km), SE Arabia, on the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. The federation, commonly known as ...

Lithuanian

(Encyclopedia)Lithuanian lĭthˌo͞oāˈnēən [key], a language belonging to the Baltic subfamily of the Indo-European family of languages (see Baltic languages). The official language of Lithuania since 1918, Lit...

Lachaise, Gaston

(Encyclopedia)Lachaise, Gaston gästôNˈ läshĕzˈ [key], 1882–1935, American sculptor, b. Paris. After studying in Paris, he emigrated to the United States in 1906. For 12 years he worked in Boston and New Yor...

Lamoricière, Christophe Léon Louis Juchault de

(Encyclopedia)Lamoricière, Christophe Léon Louis Juchault de krēstôfˈ lāôNˈ lwē zhüshōˈ də lämôrēsyĕrˈ [key], 1806–65, French general. Important in the conquest of Algeria, he distinguished hims...

Miller, Joaquin

(Encyclopedia)Miller, Joaquin wäkēnˈ [key], pseud. of Cincinnatus Heine (or Hiner) Miller, 1839?–1913, American poet, b. Liberty, Ind. In 1852 his family moved to frontier Oregon. He lived in gold-mining camps...

Moroni, Giovanni Battista

(Encyclopedia)Moroni, Giovanni Battista jōvänˈnē bät-tēˈstä mōrôˈnē [key], c.1524–1578, Italian portrait painter of the Brescian school; pupil of Il Moretto. Surpassing his teacher in the ability to c...

Mahgoub, Muhammad Ahmad

(Encyclopedia)Mahgoub, Muhammad Ahmad mo͞ohämˈmäd äkhmädˈ mäˈgo͞o [key], 1908–76, Sudanese political leader. After twice serving as Sudan's minister of foreign affairs (1956–58, 1964–65), he was ele...