Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

conglomerate, in business

(Encyclopedia)conglomerate, corporation whose asset growth, often very rapid, comes largely through the acquisition of, or merger with, other firms whose products are largely unrelated to each other or to that of t...

conglomerate, in geology

(Encyclopedia)conglomerate, in geology, sedimentary rock composed largely of pebbles or other rounded particles whose diameter is larger than 2 mm (.08 in.). Essentially a cemented gravel, conglomerates are formed ...

conjugation, in grammar

(Encyclopedia)conjugation: see inflection.

conjugation, in genetics

(Encyclopedia)conjugation, in genetics: see recombination. ...

conjunction, in astronomy

(Encyclopedia)conjunction, in astronomy, alignment of two celestial bodies as seen from the earth. Conjunction of the moon and the planets is often determined by reference to the sun. When a body is in conjunction ...

daphne, in botany

(Encyclopedia)daphne, common name for, and genus name of, certain low deciduous or evergreen shrubs native to Eurasia. In the United States several naturalized species are cultivated for their handsome foliage and ...

crane, in zoology

(Encyclopedia)crane, large wading bird found in marshes in the Northern Hemisphere and in Africa. Although sometimes confused with herons, cranes are more closely related to rails and limpkins. Cranes are known for...

Cressida, in astronomy

(Encyclopedia)Cressida, in astronomy, one of the natural satellites, or moons, of Uranus. ...

cricket, in zoology

(Encyclopedia)cricket, common name of the slender, chirping, hopping insects forming the family Gryllidae in the order Orthoptera. Most crickets have long antennae, muscular hind legs for jumping, and two pairs of ...

croton, in botany

(Encyclopedia)croton krōˈtən [key], any of several species of Codiaeum that are widely cultivated as ornamentals and houseplants. The most popular species is C. variegatum, which has many cultivated forms of hig...