Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

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...

Ford, John, American film director

(Encyclopedia)Ford, John, 1895–1973, American film director, b. Cape Elizabeth, Maine, as John Martin Feeney. Ford began directing in 1917 after an apprenticeship with his brother Francis. Over the next 50 years,...

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...

Owens, Jesse

(Encyclopedia)Owens, Jesse, 1913–80, U.S. track star, b. Alabama. He was also called John Cleveland Owens, although his original name was said to be simply J. C. Owens. After his family moved to Cleveland he exce...

Heldai

(Encyclopedia)Heldai hĕlˈdāī [key], in the Bible. 1 See Heleb. 2 Man who was to have a memorial in the temple. An alternate form is Helem. ...

Herwegh, Georg

(Encyclopedia)Herwegh, Georg gāˈôrkh hĕrˈvāk [key], 1817–75, German revolutionary poet. His best-known work, Gedichte eines Lebendigen [poems of a living man] (1841) stirred much liberal enthusiasm. Herwegh...

Jahaziel

(Encyclopedia)Jahaziel jəhāˈzēĕl, jāˌhāzīˈəl, jāhăzˈēĕl [key], in the Bible. 1 Man who joined David at Ziklag. 2 One who inspired Jehoshaphat to oppose the invading Ammonites. 3 Priest before the Ar...

Astraea

(Encyclopedia)Astraea ăstrēˈə [key], in Greek religion and mythology, goddess of justice; daughter of Zeus and Themis. Because of the wickedness of man, she withdrew from the earth at the end of the Golden Age ...

Knight, Charles

(Encyclopedia)Knight, Charles, 1874–1953, American artist, b. New York City. Knight painted and sculpted animal subjects. He is best known for his murals at the American Museum of Natural History, New York City. ...

Cheddar

(Encyclopedia)Cheddar, village, Somerset, SW England. It is chiefly a tourist center. Limestone is quarried, and strawberries are grown. Nearby Cheddar Gorge towers c.400 ft (120 m) high, with imposing limestone cl...

Browse by Subject