Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

mass, in physics

(Encyclopedia)mass, in physics, the quantity of matter in a body regardless of its volume or of any forces acting on it. The term should not be confused with weight, which is the measure of the force of gravity (se...

may, in botany

(Encyclopedia)may, name for several plants; in England, particularly the hawthorn. See also mayflower. ...

maya, in Hinduism

(Encyclopedia)maya mäˈyä [key], in Hinduism, term used in the Veda to mean magic or supernatural power. In Mahayana Buddhism it acquires the meaning of illusion or unreality. The term is pivotal in the Vedanta s...

mayflower, in botany

(Encyclopedia)mayflower, in botany, name for several spring-blooming plants. In England the hawthorn is called mayflower, or may; in North America the name is used for the trailing arbutus, the hepatica, and an her...

medusa, in zoology

(Encyclopedia)medusa, in zoology, scientific name for the jellyfish, i.e., the free-swimming stage of various animals in the phylum Cnidaria. See polyp and medusa. ...

march, in music

(Encyclopedia)march, in music, composition intended to accompany marching. The only constant characteristics of a march are duple meter and a fairly simple rhythmic design. In mood, marches range from the moving de...

Browse by Subject