Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Heister, Lorenz

(Encyclopedia)Heister, Lorenz lōˈrĕnts hīˈshtər [key], 1683–1758, German surgeon. Having studied anatomy under the famous Dutch master Frederik Ruysch (1638–1731), Heister served as an army surgeon in sev...

jingoism

(Encyclopedia)jingoism jĭngˈgōĭzəm [key], advocacy of a policy of aggressive nationalism. The term was first used in connection with certain British politicians who sought to bring England into the Russo-Turki...

opus

(Encyclopedia)opus ōˈpəs [key] [Lat.,=work], in music, term used in cataloging a composer's works, designating either a single composition or a group published together or considered a unit. Opus numbers assigne...

Australian literature

(Encyclopedia)Australian literature, the literature of Australia. Because the vast majority of early Australian settlers were transported prisoners, the beginnings of Australian literature were oral rather than wri...

Democratic party

(Encyclopedia)Democratic party, American political party; the oldest continuous political party in the United States. In 1960, John F. Kennedy narrowly defeated the Republican candidate, Richard M. Nixon, in the ...

Muluzi, Bakili

(Encyclopedia)Muluzi, Bakili (Elson Bakili Muluzi) bäkēˈlē mo͞olo͞oˈlē [key], 1943–, Malawian political leader, president of Malawi (1994–2004). After serving in the cabinet of Hastings Kamuzu Banda, he...

ultramontanism

(Encyclopedia)ultramontanism ŭlˌtrəmŏnˈtənĭzəm [key] [Lat.,=beyond the mountains, i.e., the Alps], formerly, point of view of Roman Catholics who supported the pope as supreme head of the church, as distinc...

kamikaze

(Encyclopedia)kamikaze käˌməkäˈzē [key] [Jap.,=divine wind], the typhoon that destroyed Kublai Khan's fleet, foiling his invasion of Japan in 1281. In World War II the term was used for a Japanese suicide air...

cassone

(Encyclopedia)cassone käs-sôˈnā [key], the Italian term for chest or coffer, usually a bridal or dower chest, highly ornate and given prominence in the home. Major artists such as Uccello and Botticelli painted...

Geoffrey

(Encyclopedia)Geoffrey jĕfˈrē [key], 1158–86, duke of Brittany (1171–86); fourth son of Henry II of England. Betrothed (1166) to Constance, heiress of Brittany, he was recognized as heir to the duchy in 1169...