Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Fust, Johann

(Encyclopedia)Fust yōˈhän foust [key], d. 1466?, printer at Mainz. Johann Gutenberg borrowed substantial sums of money from Fust, a goldsmith, lawyer, and money lender. When Gutenberg was unable to repay these s...

Odum, Howard Washington

(Encyclopedia)Odum, Howard Washington ōˈdəm [key], 1884–1954, American sociologist, b. Bethlehem, Ga., grad. Emory College, 1904, Ph.D. Clark Univ., 1909, and Ph.D. Columbia, 1910. In 1920 he became professor ...

marlin

(Encyclopedia)marlin, common name for open-sea fish related to the sailfish (family Istiophoridae) and prized in sport fishing. The best known is the Atlantic blue marlin, Makaira nigricans, found in the Gulf Strea...

licorice

(Encyclopedia)licorice lĭkˈərĭs, –rĭsh [key], name for a European plant (Glycyrrhiza glabra) of the family Leguminosae (pulse family) and for the sweet substance obtained from the root. Since early times the...

love-in-a-mist

(Encyclopedia)love-in-a-mist, hardy annual garden plant (Nigella damascena) of the family Ranunculaceae (buttercup family), having finely cut foliage and blue or white flowers surrounded by a cluster of thready bra...

Krzyzewski, Mike

(Encyclopedia)Krzyzewski, Mike (Michael William Krzyzewski) shəshĕvˈskē [key], 1947–, American basketball coach, b. Chicago. He attended West Point (grad. 1969), where he played basketball under Bobby Knight....

Swansea, city and county, Wales

(Encyclopedia)Swansea swŏnˈzē, –sē [key], Welsh Abertawe, city (1981 pop. 172,433) and county, 146 sq mi (378 sq km), S Wales. Located on Swansea Bay at the mouth of the Tawe River, the city of Swansea is a m...

Beatrice

(Encyclopedia)Beatrice bēăˈtrĭs [key], city (2020 pop. 12,261), seat of Gage co., SE Nebr., on the Big ...

trogon

(Encyclopedia)trogon trōˈgŏn [key], family of tropical jungle birds related to the roadrunners and including the quetzal. Trogons are sedentary arboreal birds, 10 to 14 in. (25.4–35.6 cm) long, with short roun...

bluebird

(Encyclopedia)bluebird, common name for a North American migratory bird of the family Turdidae (thrush family). The eastern bluebird, Sialia sialis, is among the first spring arrivals in the North. It is about 7 in...