Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

credit, letter of

(Encyclopedia)credit, letter of, commercial instrument through which a bank or other financial institution instructs a correspondent institution to advance a specified sum of money to the bearer. The document is ca...

hookworm

(Encyclopedia)hookworm, any of a number of bloodsucking nematodes in the phylum Nematoda, order Strongiloidae that live as parasites in humans and other mammals and attach themselves to the host's intestines by mea...

edema

(Encyclopedia)edema ĭdēˈmə [key], abnormal accumulation of fluid in the body tissues or in the body cavities causing swelling or distention of the affected parts. Edema of the ankles and lower legs (in ambulato...

beta-blocker

(Encyclopedia)beta-blocker or beta-adrenergic blocking agent bāˈtə ădˌrənûrˈjĭk [key], drug that reduces the symptoms connected with hypertension, cardiac arrhythmias, angina pectoris, migraine headaches, ...

centrifuge

(Encyclopedia)centrifuge sĕnˈtrəfyo͞oj [key], device using centrifugal force to separate two or more substances of different density, e.g., two liquids or a liquid and a solid. The centrifuge consists of a fixe...

Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences

(Encyclopedia)Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences: see Bank of Sweden Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel under Nobel Prize. ...

Ophrah

(Encyclopedia)Ophrah ŏfˈrə [key]. Benjamite town, central ancient Palestine, the modern et-Taiyiba, West Bank, NE of Bethel. It is mentioned in the Bible. ...

Ibleam

(Encyclopedia)Ibleam ĭbˈlēəm [key], in the Bible, town, ancient Palestine, the present-day Tell Belameh, West Bank. It also appears as Bileam and Gath-rimmon. ...

nitrogen mustard

(Encyclopedia)nitrogen mustard, any of various poisonous compounds originally developed for military use (see poison gas). Like mustard gas and lewisite, it is a vesicant (blistering agent). In the form of its crys...

aldosterone

(Encyclopedia)aldosterone ălˌdōstĭrōnˈ [key], steroid secreted by the cortex of the adrenal gland. It is the most potent hormone regulating the body's electrolyte balance. Aldosterone acts directly on the kid...