Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Adams, Charles Francis, 1807–86, American public official

(Encyclopedia)Adams, Charles Francis, 1807–86, American public official, minister to Great Britain (1861–68), b. Boston; son of John Quincy Adams. After a boyhood spent in various European capitals, he was grad...

Ricci, Matteo

(Encyclopedia)Ricci, Matteo mät-tāˈō rētˈchē [key], 1552–1610, Italian missionary to China. He entered the Society of Jesus, and in Rome he studied under Clavius. Ricci was sent to the Indies (1578), and h...

Kolaiah

(Encyclopedia)Kolaiah kŏlāˈyə [key], in the Bible. 1 Benjamite family in Jerusalem. 2 Father of Ahab, a false prophet. ...

Ammihud

(Encyclopedia)Ammihud ămˈĭhəd, əmīˈhəd [key], in the Bible. 1 Ancestor of Joshua. 2 Father of a king of Geshur. ...

Jaare-oregim

(Encyclopedia)Jaare-oregim jāărˈē-ŏrˈēgĭm [key], in the Bible, father of David's man Elhanan. He also appears as Jair. ...

Deuel

(Encyclopedia)Deuel dyo͞oˈəl [key], in the Bible, father of Eliasaph the Gadite. An alternate form is Reuel. ...

Phanuel

(Encyclopedia)Phanuel fănyo͞oˈĕl, fănˈyo͞oĕl [key], in the New Testament, father of Anna the prophetess. ...

Mithra

(Encyclopedia)Mithra mĭthˈrə [key], ancient god of Persia and India (where he was called Mitra). Until the 6th cent. b.c., Mithra was apparently a minor figure in the Zoroastrian system. Under the Achaemenids, M...

Krishna, Hindu deity

(Encyclopedia)Krishna krĭshˈnə [key] [Sanskrit,=black], one of the most popular deities in Hinduism, the eighth avatar, or incarnation of Vishnu. Krishna appears in the Mahabharata epic as a prince of the Yadava...

hadith

(Encyclopedia)hadith hädēthˈ [key], a tradition or the collection of the traditions of Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam, including his sayings and deeds, and his tacit approval of what was said or done in his pres...