Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Welsh springer spaniel

(Encyclopedia)Welsh springer spaniel, breed of medium-sized sporting dog developed several centuries ago in Wales. It stands about 17 in. (43.2 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs between 30 and 40 lb (13.6–18.1 ...

Dinoflagellata

(Encyclopedia)dinoflagellata dīˌnōflăjˌəlätˈə, –lāˈtə [key], phylum (division) of unicellular, mostly marine algae, called dinoflagellates. In some classification systems this division is called Pyrrh...

aberration

(Encyclopedia)CE5 A. Spherical aberration: Light rays near the edge of the lens are bent more and brought to focus nearer to the lens. B. Chromatic aberration: Shorter wavelengths (higher frequencies) are bent m...

nitric acid

(Encyclopedia)nitric acid, chemical compound, HNO3, colorless, highly corrosive, poisonous liquid that gives off choking red or yellow fumes in moist air. It is miscible with water in all proportions. It forms an a...

spruce

(Encyclopedia)spruce, any plant of the genus Picea, evergreen trees or shrubs of the family Pinaceae (pine family) widely distributed in the Northern Hemisphere. The needles are angular in cross section, rather tha...

sun grebe

(Encyclopedia)sun grebe, common name for a tropical, mainly aquatic bird of the family Heliornithidae. Sun grebes, also called finfoots, are remarkable for their colorful, puffy-toed, webbed feet, which may serve a...

acerola

(Encyclopedia)acerola ăsˌərōˈlə [key] or barbados cherry, the edible fruit of Malpighia glabra, of the genera Bunchiosa and Malpighia of the family Malpighiaceae. The fleshy red stone fruits, about the size o...

mutton

(Encyclopedia)mutton, flesh of mature sheep prepared as food (as opposed to the flesh of young sheep, which is known as lamb). Mutton is deep red with firm, white fat. In Middle Eastern countries it is a staple mea...

Freundlich, Erwin Finlay

(Encyclopedia)Freundlich, Erwin Finlay froindˈlĭkh [key], 1885–1964, German astronomer. Freundlich obtained a doctorate in mathematics at Göttingen, then joined the Royal Observatory at Berlin, where he worked...

Browse by Subject