Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

207 results found

vocative

(Encyclopedia)vocative vŏkˈətĭv [key] [Lat.,=calling], in the grammar of certain languages (e.g., Latin), the case referring to a person addressed. In English a special intonation expresses the vocative, as in ...

locative

(Encyclopedia)locative lŏkˈətĭv [key] [Lat.,=placing], in the grammar of certain languages (e.g., Sanskrit), the case referring to location. Nouns in this case are often translatable into English phrases beginn...

ablative

(Encyclopedia)ablative ăbˈlətĭvˌ [key] [Lat.,=carrying off], in Latin grammar, the case used in a number of circumstances, particularly with certain prepositions and in locating place or time. The term is also...

Stark, Harold Raynsford

(Encyclopedia)Stark, Harold Raynsford, 1880–1972, American admiral, b. Wilkes-Barre, Pa. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, he was commissioned (1905) an ensign in the navy. After service in World...

Gawain, Sir

(Encyclopedia)Gawain, Sir gäˈwān, –wĭn [key], one of the most popular heroes of Arthurian legend; nephew of King Arthur. He was regarded, particularly in the early romances, as the model of chivalry—pure, b...

Zhuhai

(Encyclopedia)Zhuhai jo͞o-hī [key], city (1994 est. pop. 308,600), S Guangdong prov., on the Pearl River, N of Macau. Designated a special economic zone in 1979, the city has benefited greatly from its proximity ...

nominative

(Encyclopedia)nominative nŏmˈĭnətĭv [key], [Lat.,=naming], in Latin grammar, the case usually employed for the noun that is the subject of the sentence. The term is used in the grammar of languages with Latinl...

Zhujiang

(Encyclopedia)Zhujiang: see Pearl, river.

genitive

(Encyclopedia)genitive jĕnˈĭtĭv [key] [Lat.,=genetic], in Latin grammar, the case typically used to refer to a possessor. The term is used in the grammar of other languages, but the phenomenon referred to may n...

Kirkcaldy

(Encyclopedia)Kirkcaldy kərkôˈdē, –kôlˈ– [key], town (1991 pop. 46,356) and district, Fife, E Scotland, on the Firth of Forth. Industries textiles and furniture manufacture and light electrical engineerin...