Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

black humor

(Encyclopedia)black humor, in literature, drama, and film, grotesque or morbid humor used to express the absurdity, insensitivity, paradox, and cruelty of the modern world. Ordinary characters or situations are usu...

Meese, Edwin, 3d

(Encyclopedia)Meese, Edwin, 3d, 1931–, American public official, b. Oakland, Calif. As a deputy district attorney of Alameda co., he was a tough prosecutor with little toleration for radical protest. As a result,...

Marmousets

(Encyclopedia)Marmousets märmo͞ozāˈ [key], [Fr.,=little fellows], ministers of King Charles V of France, so called by the great nobles, who were contemptuous of their humble origins. Olivier de Clisson was the ...

Hölderlin, Friedrich

(Encyclopedia)Hölderlin, Friedrich frēˈdrĭkh hölˈdərlĭn [key], 1770–1843, German lyric poet. Befriended and influenced by Schiller, Hölderlin produced, before the onset of insanity at 36, lofty yet subje...

governor, in government

(Encyclopedia)governor, chief executive of a dependent or component unit in a political system. In the United States, a governor is the chief executive of each state and is elected by the people of the state. In th...

Saturn, in Roman religion and mythology

(Encyclopedia)Saturn, in Roman religion and mythology, god of harvests, later identified with the Greek Kronos. Little is known of the origins of his cult. His reign was regarded as the Golden Age. He was the husba...

Schick test

(Encyclopedia)Schick test, diagnostic test designed to evaluate susceptibility to diphtheria. A small amount of diphtheria toxin is injected into the skin; the injection will produce an area of redness and swelling...

Pencz, Georg

(Encyclopedia)Pencz, Georg gāˈôrkh pĕnts [key], c.1500–1550, German painter and engraver of the Nuremberg school. He probably studied with Dürer in Nuremberg. He was banished in 1525 but soon returned. Pencz...

peppergrass

(Encyclopedia)peppergrass, any species of the genus Lepidium, widely distributed peppery-tasting herbs of the family Cruciferae (or Brassicaceae; mustard family). They commonly have toothed leaves, clusters of smal...

Trinity , river, United States

(Encyclopedia)Trinity, river rising in N Texas in three forks; the Clear Fork runs into the West Fork at Fort Worth, and the Elm Fork joins the West Fork at Dallas. The Trinity then flows c.510 mi (820 km) SE to Tr...