Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

stirrup

(Encyclopedia)stirrup, foot support for the rider of a horse in mounting and while riding. It is a ring with a horizontal bar to receive the foot and is attached by a strap to the saddle. To avoid the danger of hav...

phenomenon

(Encyclopedia)phenomenon, an observable fact or event; in philosophy the definitions and uses of the term have varied. In the philosophy of Aristotle phenomena were the objects of the senses (e.g., sights and sound...

pressure group

(Encyclopedia)pressure group, body, organized or unorganized, that actively seeks to promote its particular interests within a society by exerting pressure on public officials and agencies. Pressure groups direct t...

compact disc

(Encyclopedia)compact disc (CD), a small plastic disc used for the storage of digital data. As originally developed for audio systems, the sound signal is sampled at a rate of 44,100 times a second, then each sampl...

Irvine, city, United States

(Encyclopedia)Irvine ûrˈvīn [key], city (2020 pop. 307,670), Orange co., SW Calif.; inc. 1971. Its indus...

Hefei

(Encyclopedia)Hefei or Hofei both: hô-fā [key], city (1994 est. pop. 866,800), capital of Anhui prov., China. A rapidly growing industrial city, it has textile mills, ironworks and steelworks, chemical and food p...

Heiden, Eric

(Encyclopedia)Heiden, Eric hīˈdən [key], 1958–, American speed skater, b. Madison, Wis. After competing in the 1976 Winter Olympics, he won three consecutive World Speedskating Championships (1977–79). In 19...

Hershey

(Encyclopedia)Hershey, uninc. city (2020 pop. 13,858), Dauphin co., S central Pa.; founded 1903 as a planned community for workers at the Hershey Corp., the chocolate...

Hesychius of Alexandria

(Encyclopedia)Hesychius of Alexandria hēsĭkˈēəs [key], fl. 5th cent.?, Alexandrian grammarian. Hesychius is known as the compiler of an invaluable lexicon, a glossary of unusual words and expressions occurring...

Missouri, University of

(Encyclopedia)Missouri, University of, at Columbia (main campus), Rolla, Kansas City, and St. Louis; land-grant and state supported; coeducational; chartered 1839, opened 1841. It is the oldest state university W o...

Browse by Subject