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Akita, city, Japan

(Encyclopedia)Akita äˈkētä [key], city, capital of Akita prefecture, NW Honshu, Japan, on the Sea of Japan. A producer of petroleum products and chemicals, Akito city also has a lar...

Châlons-en-Champagne

(Encyclopedia)Châlons-en-Champagne shälôNˈ-sür-märn [key], city, capital of Marne dept., NE France, in Champagne, on the Marn...

Clonmel

(Encyclopedia)Clonmel klŏnmĕlˈ [key], town, administrative center of South Riding, Co. Tipperary, S Repu...

herb

(Encyclopedia)herb ûrb, hûrb [key], name for any plant that is used medicinally or as a spice and for the useful product of such a plant. Herbs as condiments and seasonings are still important in culinary art; th...

history painting

(Encyclopedia)history painting, the painting of scenes from classical and Christian history and mythology. It was taught in the academies of art, from the Renaissance to the 19th cent., as the highest form of art i...

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...

gunmetal

(Encyclopedia)gunmetal, a bronze, an alloy of copper, tin, and a small amount of zinc. Although originally used extensively for making guns (from which it received its name), it has been superseded by steel, and it...

Gibeon

(Encyclopedia)Gibeon gĭbˈēən [key], ancient town, 5 mi (8 km) NNW of Jerusalem. The Book of Joshua relates that its inhabitants established a treaty with the invading Israelites, resulting in their servitude to...

Maubeuge

(Encyclopedia)Maubeuge mōbözhˈ [key], city (1990 pop. 35,225), Nord dept., N France, on the Sambre River near the Belgian border. Railroad and heating equipment, machine tools, glass, and china are major manufac...

May Day

(Encyclopedia)May Day, first day of May. Its celebration probably originated in the spring fertility festivals of India and Egypt. The festival of the Roman goddess of spring, Flora, was celebrated from Apr. 28 to ...