Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

285 results found

Dehmelt, Hans Georg

(Encyclopedia)Dehmelt, Hans Georg häns gāˈôrkh dāˈməlt [key], 1922–2017, German-American physicist, b. Gorlitz, Germany, Ph.D. Univ. of Göttingen, 1950. A professor at the Univ. of Washington in Seattle, ...

Mayo

(Encyclopedia)Mayo, county (1991 pop. 110,696), 2,084 sq mi (5,398 sq km), W Republic of Ireland. The county seat is Castlebar. The western portion, including large Achill island, is mountainous; the eastern part i...

Neagh, Lough

(Encyclopedia)Neagh, Lough lŏkh nā [key], lake, 153 sq mi (396 sq km), 18 mi (29 km) long and 11 mi (18 km) wide, central Northern Ireland. This shallow lake is the largest freshwater body in the British Isles. F...

Bow Bells

(Encyclopedia)Bow Bells bō [key], in the church of St. Mary-le-Bow (Bow Church), Cheapside, London, England. The church is located in mid-London, and tradition says that only one who is born within sound of the Bo...

Capri

(Encyclopedia)Capri käˈprē [key], Lat. Capreae, island (1987 est. pop. 7,750), 4 sq mi (10.4 sq km), Campania, S Italy, in the Bay of Naples off the tip of the Sorrento Peninsula. It is an international tourist ...

Godwin

(Encyclopedia)Godwin or Godwine both: gŏdˈwĭn [key], d. 1053, earl of Wessex. He became chief adviser to King Canute, was created (c.1018) an earl, and was given great wealth and lands. After Canute's death (103...

Robert Guiscard

(Encyclopedia)Robert Guiscard gēskärˈ [key], c.1015–1085, Norman conqueror of S Italy, a son of Tancred de Hauteville (see Normans). Robert joined (c.1046) his brothers in S Italy and fought with them to expel...

Dexter, Colin

(Encyclopedia)Dexter, Colin (Norman Colin Dexter), 1930–2017, English mystery novelist, b. Stamford, Lincolnshire. He as a classics teacher in secondary schools until deafness forced him to find a new career; he ...

Haskins, Charles Homer

(Encyclopedia)Haskins, Charles Homer, 1870–1937, American historian, an authority on medieval history, b. Meadville, Pa. At Harvard (1902–31) he was professor and dean of graduate studies (1908–24); in the la...

Hakam II, al-

(Encyclopedia)Hakam II, al- äl-häkämˈ [key], 914–76, Umayyad caliph of Córdoba (961–76), son and successor of Abd ar-Rahman III. In the early part of his reign he successfully waged war against the Christi...

Browse by Subject