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West Island

(Encyclopedia)West Island, island (2016 pop. 140), capital of the Cocos Islands, an Australian territory. One of three inhabited islands in the group, its population is mainly Australians of European descent. The i...

mucopolysaccharide

(Encyclopedia)mucopolysaccharide myo͞oˌkəpŏlēsăkˈərīd [key], class of polysaccharide molecules, also known as glycosaminoglycans, composed of amino-sugars chemically linked into repeating units that give a...

genro

(Encyclopedia)genro gĕnˈrōˈ [key] [ Jap.,=elder statesmen], a group that exercised collective leadership in Japan from the end of the Meiji period until c.1932. After the Meiji restoration (1868), Westernizer...

Caucasian languages

(Encyclopedia)Caucasian languages, family of languages spoken by about 7 million people in the Caucasus region of SE European Russia. The Caucasian languages take their name from the Caucasus Mountains, on the slop...

Soka Gakkai

(Encyclopedia)Soka Gakkai sōˈkä gäkˈkī [key] [Jap.,=Value Creation Society], Japan-based independent lay Buddhist movement. A theological offshoot of Nichiren Buddhism, it was founded (1930) as the Soka Kyoik...

Saturn, in astronomy

(Encyclopedia)CE5 Saturn and its ring system as seen from Earth Saturn, in astronomy, 6th planet from the sun. Saturn has 82 confirmed natural satellites, many of which have not been named. Five of the discov...

methedrine

(Encyclopedia)methedrine mĕthˈədrēn [key], drug of the amphetamine group. Also known as methamphetamine, it is used as a stimulant. ...

leveraged buyout

(Encyclopedia)leveraged buyout, the takeover of a company, financed by borrowed funds. Often, the target company's assets are used as security for the loans acquired to finance the purchase. The acquiring company o...

Kawartha Lakes

(Encyclopedia)Kawartha Lakes kəwôrˈthə [key], group of 14 lakes, in a region c.50 mi (80 km) long and c.25 mi (40 km) wide, S Ont., Canada, near the towns of Lindsay and Peterborough. Balsam is the largest lake...

Sabelli

(Encyclopedia)Sabelli səbĕlˈī [key], people of ancient Italy who spoke Oscan. They were a loose group and seemed to have had little or no political unity. Oscan-speaking tribes expanded over central Italy, and ...