Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Fletcher, Alice Cunningham

(Encyclopedia)Fletcher, Alice Cunningham, 1838–1923, American anthropologist, b. Havana, Cuba. Originally interested in archaeology, she turned to the study of the Plains tribes. After studying informally with Fr...

flotsam, jetsam, and ligan

(Encyclopedia)flotsam, jetsam, and ligan flŏtˈsəm, jĕtˈsəm, līˈgən [key] [O.Fr.], in maritime law, goods lost at sea as distinguished from goods washed ashore (wreck). Goods that remain floating on the sur...

injection

(Encyclopedia)injection, introduction of a fluid into the body, usually by means of a needle and syringe. The material injected may be a test substance (as in determining allergic sensitivity or immunity to a disea...

Eleanor of Castile

(Encyclopedia)Eleanor of Castile kăstēlˈ [key], d.1290, queen consort of Edward I of England and daughter of Ferdinand III of Castile. At her marriage (1254) she brought to Prince Edward the territories of Ponth...

Fairbanks, Douglas

(Encyclopedia)Fairbanks, Douglas, 1883–1939, American movie actor, b. Denver. From 1901 to 1914, Fairbanks appeared on stage in light comedies. In 1915 he began making movies, becoming the swashbuckling hero of h...

Plantin, Christophe

(Encyclopedia)Plantin, Christophe krēstôfˈ pläNtăNˈ [key], 1514–89, printer. Plantin left his native France for Belgium because of religious persecution. In Antwerp his work, at first as a bookbinder, began...

Philemon, epistle of the New Testament

(Encyclopedia)Philemon fĭlēˈmən [key], letter of the New Testament, written to a Colossian named Philemon by Paul, probably when the latter was a prisoner in Rome (c.a.d. 60). Onesimus, Philemon's fugitive slav...

Pythagoras of Rhegium

(Encyclopedia)Pythagoras of Rhegium rēˈjəm [key], fl. 5th cent. b.c., Greek sculptor. In a signature on a pedestal at Olympia he declares himself a Samian, but the period of his training and work belongs to Rheg...

Pablos, Juan

(Encyclopedia)Pablos, Juan hwän päˈblōs [key], d. 1561?, printer in Spanish America. Pablos printed in Mexico City the first book known to have been printed in the Western Hemisphere. It was a religious manual,...

Van Doren, Carl (Clinton)

(Encyclopedia)Van Doren, Carl (Clinton), 1885–1950, American editor and author, b. Hope, Vermilion co., Ill., grad. Univ. of Illinois, 1907, Ph.D. Columbia, 1911; brother of Mark Van Doren. He lectured at Columbi...