Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

291 results found

quinoa

(Encyclopedia)quinoa kēnwäˈ [key], tall annual herb (Chenopodium quinoa) of the family Chenopodiaceae (goosefoot family), whose seeds have provided a staple food for peoples of the higher Andes since pre-Columbi...

pink

(Encyclopedia)CE5 Deptford pink, Dianthus armeria pink, common name for some members of the Caryophyllaceae, a family of small herbs found chiefly in north temperate zones (especially the Mediterranean area) bu...

New Taipei City

(Encyclopedia)New Taipei City tībāˈ [key], special municipality (2010 pop. 4,054,467), c.790 sq mi (2,050 sq km), N Taiwan, the most populous municipality in Taiwan. Formerly Taipei co., it was established as a ...

manna

(Encyclopedia)manna mănˈə [key], in the Bible, edible substance provided by God for the people of Israel in the wilderness. In the Book of Exodus it is compared to coriander seed and described as fine, white, an...

Martelly, Michel Joseph

(Encyclopedia)Martelly, Michel Joseph, 1961–, Haitian musician and political leader. After periods of living in the United States, he returned home in 1987 and became a keyboard player and singer, specializing in...

Pantelleria

(Encyclopedia)Pantelleria pänˈtāl-lārēˈä [key], volcanic island, 32 sq mi (83 sq km), S Italy, in the Mediterranean Sea between Sicily and Tunisia. Sweet wine, capers, raisins, and dried figs are exported. A...

incense-tree

(Encyclopedia)incense-tree, common name for members of the Burseraceae, a family of sometimes deciduous shrubs and large trees found chiefly in tropical America and NE Africa. The name derives from the characterist...

Collodi, Carlo

(Encyclopedia)Collodi, Carlo lōrāntsēˈnē [key], 1826–90, Italian author. A prolific journalist, he also wrote didactic tales for children, the most famous of which is Pinocchio: The Story of a Puppet. First ...

basil

(Encyclopedia)basil băzˈəl [key], any plant of the genus Ocimum, tender herbs or small shrubs of the family Labiatae (mint family), mostly of Old World warm regions and cultivated for the aromatic leaves. The ba...

Sanford

(Encyclopedia)Sanford. 1 City (1990 pop. 32,387), seat of Seminole co., central Fla., on Lake Monroe and the St. Johns River; inc. 1877. It is an agricultural center where citrus fruit and vegetables are processed....

Browse by Subject