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whooping cough

(Encyclopedia)whooping cough or pertussis, highly communicable infectious disease caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. The early or catarrhal stage of whooping cough is manifested by the usual symptoms of ...

sociolinguistics

(Encyclopedia)sociolinguistics, the study of language as it affects and is affected by social relations. Sociolinguistics encompasses a broad range of concerns, including bilingualism, pidgin and creole languages, ...

quarantine

(Encyclopedia)quarantine kwŏrˈəntēn [key], isolation of persons, animals, places, and effects that carry or are suspected of harboring communicable disease. The term originally referred to the 40 days of offsho...

reservoir

(Encyclopedia)reservoir rĕzˈəvôr, –vwär [key], storage tank or wholly or partly artificial lake for storing water. Building an embankment or dam to preserve a supply of water for irrigation is an ancient pra...

mutation

(Encyclopedia)mutation, in biology, a sudden, random change in a gene, or unit of hereditary material, that can alter an inheritable characteristic. Most mutations are not beneficial, since any change in the delica...

Cortizo Cohen, Laurentino

(Encyclopedia)Cortizo Cohen, Laurentino, 1953–, Panamanian rancher and political leader. A member of the Democratic Revolutionary party, he studied business administration in the United States and served in the n...

Chub, in the Bible

(Encyclopedia)Chub kŭb [key], in the Bible, an African people. This may be a textual error for Lub (i.e., Lubim). ...

Ennis

(Encyclopedia)Ennis, city (2020 pop. 20,159), Ellis co., N Tex.; inc. 1872. It is a trading, financial, rail, and processing center in a fertile blackland area that p...

Grosvenor Gallery

(Encyclopedia)Grosvenor Gallery, founded in London (1877) by Sir Coutts Lindsay (1839–1913), for the independent exhibition (opening May 1 annually) of paintings and sculpture by established artists, both Academi...

Mercury, in Roman religion

(Encyclopedia)Mercury, in Roman religion, god of commerce and messenger of the gods; identified with the Greek Hermes. He was honored at the Mercuralia, a festival held in May and attended primarily by traders and ...