Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Alvarez, A.

(Encyclopedia)Alvarez, A. (Alfred Alvarez) ălvärˈĕz, ălˈvərĕzˌ [key], 1929–2019, English writer, critic, and poet. He was a theater critic, a writer for the British Broadcasting Corp., a poetry editor an...

parody

(Encyclopedia)parody, mocking imitation in verse or prose of a literary work. The following poem by Robert Southey was parodied by Lewis Carroll: “You are old, Father William,” the young man cried; “The few l...

Hewitt, Abram Stevens

(Encyclopedia)Hewitt, Abram Stevens hyo͞oˈĭt [key], 1822–1903, American industrialist and political leader, b. Haverstraw, N.Y. He became a lawyer, and friendship with a son and marriage to a daughter of Peter...

Society Islands

(Encyclopedia)Society Islands, island group (2002 pop. 214,445), South Pacific, a part of French Polynesia. The group comprises the Windward Islands and the Leeward Islands (total land area c.650 sq mi/1,680 sq km)...

Solomon

(Encyclopedia)Solomon, d. c.930 b.c., king of the ancient Hebrews (c.970–c.930 b.c.), son and successor of David. His mother was Bath-sheba. His accession has been dated to c.970 b.c. According to the Bible. Solo...

Sosa, Sammy

(Encyclopedia)Sosa, Sammy (Samuel Kevin Sosa Peralta) sämwĕlˈ sōˈsä pĕrälˈtä [key], 1968–, Dominican baseball player. An outfielder and designated hitter, he broke into the major leagues with the Texas ...

Brunel, Sir Marc Isambard

(Encyclopedia)Brunel, Sir Marc Isambard ĭzˈəmbärdˌ bro͞onĕlˈ [key], 1769–1849, British engineer and inventor. Born in France, he came to the United States in 1793 as a royalist refugee. He became chief en...

Agnon, S. Y.

(Encyclopedia)Agnon, S. Y. (Shmuel Yosef Agnon) shmo͞oˈĕl yōˈsəf ägnōnˈ; yōˈzəf [key], 1888–1970, Israeli writer, b. Buczacz, Galicia, Austria-Hungary (now Buchach, Ukraine), as Samuel Josef Czaczkes....

Pocahontas

(Encyclopedia)Pocahontas pōkəhŏnˈtəs [key], c.1595–1617, Native North American woman, daughter of Chief Powhatan. Pocahontas, meaning “playful one” (her birth name was Amonute, and her family called her ...

Winchester, city, England

(Encyclopedia)Winchester wĭnˈchĭstər [key], city and district (1991 pop. 34,127), county seat of Hampshire, S central England. Winchester was called Caer Gwent by the Britons, Venta Belgarum by the Romans, and ...