Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

hazel

(Encyclopedia)hazel, any plant of the genus Corylus of the family Betulaceae (birch family), shrubs or small trees with foliage similar to the related alders. They are often cultivated for ornament and for the edib...

alder

(Encyclopedia)alder ôlˈdər [key], name for deciduous trees and shrubs of the genus Alnus of the family Betulaceae (birch family), widely distributed, especially in mountainous and moist areas of the north temper...

heath, tract of open land

(Encyclopedia)heath, tract of open land characterized by a few scattered trees, abundant moss cover, and numerous low shrubs, principally of the heath family (see heath, in botany). In high-latitude regions with mi...

Tillotson, John

(Encyclopedia)Tillotson, John, 1630–94, English prelate, archbishop of Canterbury (1691–94). He was ordained in 1661. At the Savoy Conference (1661) he was present as an auditor on the side of the Presbyterians...

Thurloe, John

(Encyclopedia)Thurloe, John, 1616–68, English politician. A lawyer, he became (1652) secretary to the council of state of the Commonwealth. He was given charge of the intelligence department (1653), which include...

plywood

(Encyclopedia)plywood, manufactured board composed of an odd number of thin sheets of wood glued together under pressure with grains of the successive layers at right angles. Laminated wood differs from plywood in ...

borer

(Encyclopedia)borer, name applied to various animals that are injurious because of their ability to penetrate plant or animal tissues. Among insects, some borers are beetles, e.g., the flatheaded apple-tree borer, ...

Shalim, Land of

(Encyclopedia)Shalim, Land of shāˈlĭm [key], in 1 Samuel, unidentified region, perhaps N of Jerusalem. ...

taiga

(Encyclopedia)taiga tīˈgə [key], northern coniferous-forest belt of Eurasia, bordered on the north by the treeless tundra and on the south by the steppe. This vast belt, comprising about one third of the forest ...

Browse by Subject