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Voiture, Vincent

(Encyclopedia)Voiture, Vincent văNsäNˈ vwätürˈ [key], 1597–1648, French man of letters and poet. He wrote in the precious manner of the salon of the Hôtel de Rambouillet, in which he was a leading figure. ...

existentialism

(Encyclopedia)existentialism ĕgzĭstĕnˈshəlĭzəm, ĕksĭ– [key], any of several philosophic systems, all centered on the individual and his relationship to the universe or to God. Important existentialists o...

Booker Prize

(Encyclopedia)Booker Prize, an award of £50,000 (originally £5,000) for the best novel of the year published in English in Great Britain; prior to 2014, it was only given to a British, Irish, or Commonwealth writ...

Neandertal

(Encyclopedia)Neandertal or Neanderthal nāänˈdərtälˌ [key], small valley, W Germany, E of Düsseldorf. In 1856 remains of Neanderthal man were discovered there. ...

Flin Flon

(Encyclopedia)Flin Flon flĭn flŏn [key], city, in Saskatchewan, 330), on the Man.-Sask. border, Canada. It ...

Stymphalian birds

(Encyclopedia)Stymphalian birds stĭmfāˈlēən [key], in Greek mythology, dangerous man-eating birds that infested the woods around Lake Stymphalus in Arcadia. As his fifth labor, Hercules frightened the birds in...

Souris

(Encyclopedia)Souris so͝orˈĭs [key], river, c.450 mi (720 km) long, rising in S Sask., Canada, and flowing southeast with a great loop into N.Dak. (passing Minot), then N and NE to the Assiniboine River in SW Ma...

Cecrops

(Encyclopedia)Cecrops sēˈkrŏps [key], in Greek mythology, founder and first king of Athens. A primeval being, he was half man and half serpent. As a maker of laws, he abolished human sacrifice, established monog...

Lagerkvist, Pär Fabian

(Encyclopedia)Lagerkvist, Pär Fabian pâr fäˈbēän läˈgərkvĭst [key], 1891–1974, Swedish poet, dramatist, and novelist. Lagerkvist is considered one of the most significant figures of modern Swedish liter...

ethnology

(Encyclopedia)ethnology ĕthnŏlˈəjē [key], scientific study of the origin and functioning of human cultures. It is usually considered one of the major branches of cultural anthropology, the other two being anth...