Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Justin I

(Encyclopedia)Justin I, c.450–527, Byzantine emperor (518–27); successor of Anastasius I. He was chief of the imperial guard and became emperor when Anastasius died. Justin persecuted the Monophysites and maint...

Rainbow Division

(Encyclopedia)Rainbow Division, nickname of the 42d Division of the U.S. army. The first U.S. combat division to arrive in France in World War I, it participated in the second battle of the Marne, fought in the cou...

Ludlow massacre

(Encyclopedia)Ludlow massacre, strike-related killings at Ludlow, Colo., on Apr. 20, 1914. Attempting to improve wages and working conditions and to stop numerous abuses, coal miners had been on strike at the Rocke...

Hanan

(Encyclopedia)Hanan hāˈnən [key], in the Bible. 1 Reader with Ezra in explaining the law. 2 Sealer of the covenant, probably the same as the preceding. 3 Descendant of Saul. 4 One of David's guard. 5 One of Nehe...

Pertinax

(Encyclopedia)Pertinax (Publius Helvius Pertinax) pûrˈtĭnăks [key], 126–193, Roman emperor (193), b. Liguria. Formerly a general, he reluctantly succeeded Commodus on the throne. Attempting to curb license in...

Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah

(Encyclopedia)Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah, 1937–, emir of Kuwait (2020–). He was governor of the Hawalli region (1962–78), then served as interior minister (1978–88), defense minister (1988–91), minister of l...

Mario

(Encyclopedia)Mario märˈyō [key], 1810–83, stage name of Giovanni Matteo, Cavaliere di Candia, Italian tenor. An officer of the Piedmontese guard, he went to Paris in 1836 and studied at the Paris Conservatory...

Helst, Bartholomeus van der

(Encyclopedia)Helst, Bartholomeus van der bärˌtōlōmāˈəs vän dər hĕlst [key], 1613–70, Dutch portrait painter. In Amsterdam the wealthy citizens preferred his flattering, tasteful portraits to those of R...

Ulpian

(Encyclopedia)Ulpian (Dometius Ulpianus) ŭlˈpēən [key], d. 228, Roman jurist. He was a member of the council of the jurist Papinian. As Praetorian prefect from 222, he enjoyed the favor of the emperor Alexander...

transpiration

(Encyclopedia)transpiration, in botany, the loss of water by evaporation in terrestrial plants. Some evaporation occurs directly through the exposed walls of surface cells, but the greatest amount takes place throu...

Browse by Subject