Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

sandbur

(Encyclopedia)sandbur or bur grass, any species of the genus Cenchrus of the family Poaceae (grass family), sandy-soil plants of tropical and temperate regions. At maturity the sharp spines and burlike seeds make t...

Huysmans, Cornelis

(Encyclopedia)Huysmans, Cornelis kōrˈnālĭs hoisˈmäns [key], 1648–1727, Flemish painter of landscapes and religious subjects. Most of his life was spent in Malines. His landscapes, painted with a broad brush...

junco

(Encyclopedia)junco or snowbird, small seed-eating bird of North America closely related to the sparrows. Juncos have white underparts and gray (sometimes also brown) backs. They travel in flocks. The dark-eyed jun...

umkokola

(Encyclopedia)umkokola, small, thorny S and E African tree (Dovyalis caffra, also called kei-apple), widely cultivated in its native area for the round or oval bright yellow fruits. Their juicy pulp, acid in flavor...

Belluschi, Pietro

(Encyclopedia)Belluschi, Pietro pyĕˈtrō bəlo͞oˈskē [key], 1899–1994, Italian-American civil engineer, designer, and architect. Belluschi served as dean and professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Techn...

Wollaston, William Hyde

(Encyclopedia)Wollaston, William Hyde, 1766–1828, English scientist, M.D. Cambridge, 1793. His wide-ranging scientific achievements include the discovery (1802) of the dark lines (Fraunhofer lines) in the solar s...

Black Forest

(Encyclopedia)Black Forest, Ger. Schwarzwald, mountain range, SW Germany, extending 90 mi (145 km) between the Rhine and Neckar rivers. Feldberg is the highest (4,898 ft/1,493 m) peak. The range is covered by dark ...

Guericke, Otto von

(Encyclopedia)Guericke, Otto von ôˈtō fən gāˈrĭkə [key], 1602–86, German physicist, noted for his study of pneumatics. He carried out his most important researches while burgomaster (1646–81) of Magdebu...

coup

(Encyclopedia)coup ko͞o [key] [Fr.,=blow], among Native North Americans of the Plains culture, a war honor, awarded for striking an enemy in such a way that it was considered an extreme act of bravery. Generally, ...

Fink, Mike

(Encyclopedia)Fink, Mike, 1770?–1823?, American border hero, whose exploits have been so elaborated in legend that the actual facts of his life are difficult to discover. He was born probably at the frontier post...