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Maupertuis, Pierre Louis Moreau de

(Encyclopedia)Maupertuis, Pierre Louis Moreau de pyĕr lwē môrōˈ də mōpĕrtüēˈ [key], 1698–1759, French mathematician and astronomer. For his skillful support of Newton's theory he was admitted to the Ro...

Androuet du Cerceau

(Encyclopedia)Androuet du Cerceau äNdro͞o-āˈ dü sĕrsōˈ [key], family of French architects active in the 16th and 17th cent. It was founded by Jacques Androuet, c.1520–c.1584, surnamed du Cerceau [Fr.,=cir...

Rivette, Jacques Pierre Louis

(Encyclopedia)Rivette, Jacques Pierre Louis, 1928–2016, French filmmaker and critic b. Rouen. One of the French New Wave directors of the 1950s and 60s, he wrote criticism for the influential journal Cahiers du C...

physiocrats

(Encyclopedia)physiocrats fĭzˈēəkrătsˌ [key], school of French thinkers in the 18th cent. who evolved the first complete system of economics. They were also referred to simply as “the economists” or “th...

Port Royal Sound

(Encyclopedia)Port Royal Sound, arm of the Atlantic Ocean, between St. Helena and Parris islands to the north and Hilton Head Island to the south, in S S.C.; it receives the Broad River. The sound was named in 1562...

Jurieu, Pierre

(Encyclopedia)Jurieu, Pierre pyĕr zhüryöˈ [key], 1637–1713, French Calvinist theologian. He was (1674–81) professor at Sedan. In 1681 in an attempt to preserve Huguenot liberties he published anonymously La...

Biard, Pierre

(Encyclopedia)Biard, Pierre pyĕr byär [key], c.1567–1622, French Jesuit missionary in North America. He left a professorship of theology in Lyons to head the first Jesuit mission to Canada, coming to Port Royal...

Marivaux, Pierre Carlet de Chamblain de

(Encyclopedia)Marivaux, Pierre Carlet de Chamblain de pyĕrˈ kärlāˈ də shäNblēˈ də märēvōˈ [key], 1688–1763, French dramatist and novelist. He enjoyed popularity for a time with his numerous comedies...

Laplace, Pierre Simon, marquis de

(Encyclopedia)Laplace, Pierre Simon, marquis de pyĕr sēmôNˈ märkēˈ də läpläsˈ [key], 1749–1827, French astronomer and mathematician. At 18 he went to Paris, proved his gift for mathematical analysis to...

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