Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

giant

(Encyclopedia)giant, in mythology, manlike being of great size and strength. The giant has been the symbol for the expression of certain recurring beliefs in the mythologies of all races. He is universally represen...

Geingob, Hage

(Encyclopedia)Geingob, Hage, 1941–, Namibian political leader. Geingob joined the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) in the early 1960s. In exile from 1962, he became a member of SWAPO's central comm...

Frunze, Mikhail Vasilyevich

(Encyclopedia)Frunze, Mikhail Vasilyevich mēkhəyēlˈ vəsēˈlyəvĭch fro͞onˈzĕ [key], 1885–1925, Russian general. A revolutionary, he was exiled (1914) to Siberia but returned to take part in the October ...

Jammes, Francis

(Encyclopedia)Jammes, Francis fräNsēsˈ zhäm [key], 1868–1938, French poet. He lived most of his life in the Pyrenees. Jammes is usually grouped with the symbolists, but he is distinguished from them by the si...

Kabyles

(Encyclopedia)Kabyles kəbīlzˈ [key], people, predominantly agricultural, of North Africa, whose center is the rugged Kabylia region of Algeria. Of uncertain origin, they form one of the larger divisions of the B...

Kafirs

(Encyclopedia)Kafirs or Kaffirs both: kăfˈərz [key] [Arab.,=infidel], name applied by European settlers to the Xhosa branch of the Bantu-speaking people of S Africa. Originally used only for the inhabitants of t...

mound

(Encyclopedia)mound, prehistoric earthwork erected as a memorial or landmark over a burial place, a defensive embankment, or a site for ceremonial or religious rites or other functions. Such structures are found in...

New Hanover

(Encyclopedia)New Hanover or Lavongai lävôngˈī [key], volcanic island, c.460 sq mi (1,190 sq km), in the Bismarck Archipelago, part of Papua New Guinea. New Hanover is mountainous and densely forested. Coconuts...

Nias

(Encyclopedia)Nias nēˈäs [key], volcanic island (1990 pop. 588,543), 1,842 sq mi (4,771 sq km), Indonesia, in the Indian Ocean, off Sumatra. Most of the population are descended from the Niah people; their econo...

Browse by Subject