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Nilotes

(Encyclopedia)Nilotes nīlōˈtēz [key], people of E Africa who speak Nilotic languages. Among these are the Nuer and the Masai. The most prominent Nilotic ethnic groups live in South Sudan, N Uganda, and N Kenya....

Barrett, Lawrence

(Encyclopedia)Barrett, Lawrence bârˈət [key], 1838–91, American actor, b. Paterson, N.J. An excellent romantic actor, he is best remembered for his portrayal of Cassius to the Brutus of Edwin Booth. Barrett ma...

Gunbad-e-Qabus

(Encyclopedia)Gunbad-e-Qabus gōnbädˈ-ĕ kôvo͞osˈ [key], city, Mazandaran prov., N Iran, on th...

Némcová, Božena

(Encyclopedia)Némcová, Božena bôˈzhĕnä nĕmˈtsôvä [key], 1820–62, Czech novelist and storyteller. Némcová developed the regional tale, which she enhanced with an original prose style. Her work provide...

Gesta Romanorum

(Encyclopedia)Gesta Romanorum jĕsˈtə rōˌmənôrˈəm [key], medieval collection of Latin stories. Although the title means “Deeds of the Romans,” the tales have very little to do with actual Roman history....

fabliau

(Encyclopedia)fabliau, plural fabliaux both: fäblēōˈ [key], short comic, often bawdy tale in verse that deals realistically and satirically with middle-class or lower-class characters. Fabliaux were often direc...

Engel, Marian

(Encyclopedia)Engel, Marian, 1933–85, Canadian novelist. Widely considered one of Canada's major modern writers, she is particularly noted for work reflecting a strongly feminist approach. Engel's best-known nove...

Fouqué, Friedrich Heinrich Karl, Baron de La Motte-

(Encyclopedia)Fouqué, Friedrich Heinrich Karl, Baron de La Motte- frēˈdrĭkh hīnˈrĭkh kärl bärōnˈ də lä môt-fo͞okāˈ [key], 1777–1843, German poet and novelist. He wrote many chivalric romances, ta...

Boston ivy

(Encyclopedia)Boston ivy or Japanese ivy, tall-climbing woody vine (Parthenocissus tricuspidata) from East Asia, one of the most popular of city wall coverings. Of the same genus as the Virginia creeper and sometim...

lovage

(Encyclopedia)lovage, tall perennial herb (Levisticum officinale) of the family Umbelliferae (parsley family), native to the mountains of S Europe and cultivated elsewhere. Its aromatic fruits are used in soups and...