Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

essay

(Encyclopedia)essay, relatively short literary composition in prose, in which a writer discusses a topic, usually restricted in scope, or tries to persuade the reader to accept a particular point of view. Although ...

Kilkenny, town, Republic of Ireland

(Encyclopedia)Kilkenny kĭlkĕnˈē [key], Gaelic Cill Chainnigh, town (1991 pop. 8,515), seat of Co. Kilkenny, S Republic of Ireland, on the Nore River. The districts of Irishtown and Englishtown, separated by a s...

in vitro fertilization

(Encyclopedia)in vitro fertilization vēˈtrō, vĭˈtrō [key] (IVF), technique for conception of a human embryo outside the mother's body. Several ova, or eggs, are removed from the mother's body and placed in sp...

pyramid, structure

(Encyclopedia)pyramid. The true pyramid exists only in Egypt and Sudan, though the term has also been applied to similar structures in other countries. Egyptian pyramids are square in plan and their triangular side...

Charron, Pierre

(Encyclopedia)Charron, Pierre pyĕr shärôNˈ [key], 1541–1603, French Roman Catholic theologian and philosopher. He was an important contributor to 17th-century theological thought, combining an individual form...

Eusebius of Nicomedia

(Encyclopedia)Eusebius of Nicomedia nĭkōmēˈdēə [key], d. 342, Christian churchman and theologian, leader of the heresy of Arianism. He was bishop of Nicomedia (330–39) and patriarch of Constantinople (339�...

Fénelon, François de Salignac de la Mothe

(Encyclopedia)Fénelon, François de Salignac de la Mothe fräNswäˈ də sälēnyäkˈ də lä môt fānəlôNˈ [key], 1651–1715, French theologian and writer, a leader of the quietism heresy, archbishop of Cam...

Gregory Nazianzen, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Gregory Nazianzen, Saint nāzēănˈzĭn [key], c.330–390, Cappadocian theologian, Doctor of the Church, one of the Four Fathers of the Greek Church. He is sometimes called Gregory of Nazianzus and ...

Geiger, Abraham

(Encyclopedia)Geiger, Abraham gīˈgər [key], 1810–74, German rabbi, Semitic scholar and Orientalist, theologian, and foremost exponent of the Reform movement in Judaism. When he received his doctorate (1833) fr...

Novatian

(Encyclopedia)Novatian nōvāˈshən [key], fl. 250, Roman priest, antipope (from 251), and theologian. He opposed the election of St. Cornelius as pope and set himself up instead. He gained followers throughout th...