Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

209 results found

Charles, Eugenia

(Encyclopedia)Charles, Eugenia (Mary Eugenia Charles), 1919–2005, Dominican politician, first female prime minister of Dominica (1980–95). A lawyer, she was a founder (1968) of the Dominica Freedom party (DFP) ...

state flowers

(Encyclopedia)state flowers. Each state of the United States has designated, usually by legislative action, one flower as its floral emblem; the rose has been designated by Congress as the national flower of the Un...

biometrics, in security and personal identification

(Encyclopedia)biometrics, in security and personal identification, the electronic verification of individuals using biological traits, such as iris or retinal scanning, fingerprints, or face recognition, and the te...

Maisonneuve, Paul de Chomedey, sieur de

(Encyclopedia)Maisonneuve, Paul de Chomedey, sieur de pōl də shômdāˈ syör də māzôNnövˈ [key], 1612–76, founder and first governor of Montreal, b. France. A soldier, he fought in European wars before be...

Alençon

(Encyclopedia)Alençon äläNsôNˈ [key], town, capital of Orne dept., N France, in Normandy, on the Sarthe and Briante rivers. A commercial center in a fertile farm area, it is partic...

Senlis

(Encyclopedia)Senlis săNlēsˈ [key], town (1990 pop. 15,226), Oise dept., N central France, on the Nonette River. Wood products and mechanical and electrical equipment are the chief manufactures. Senlis has some ...

Pigalle, Jean Baptiste

(Encyclopedia)Pigalle, Jean Baptiste zhäN bätēstˈ pēgälˈ [key], 1714–85, French sculptor. His skill embraced a wide range, from small works appealing to the taste of the court to large and elaborate tombs....

Saint-Omer

(Encyclopedia)Saint-Omer săNtômĕrˈ [key], city (1990 pop. 15,304), Pas-de-Calais dept., N France, in Flanders, on the Aa River. The chief manufactures are metals, textiles, paper, and beer. The city grew around...

Villefranche-sur-Saône

(Encyclopedia)Villefranche-sur-Saône vēlfräNshˈ-sür-sōn [key], town (1990 pop. 29,889), Rhône dept., E central France, on the Morgon River. Its industries include weaving, cotton dyeing, and the manufacture ...

Boieldieu, François Adrien

(Encyclopedia)Boieldieu, François Adrien fräNswäˈ ädrēăNˈ bwäldyöˈ [key], 1775–1834, French composer. He studied with the organist of the cathedral in Rouen and composed one successful opera, Le Calife...