Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Gordon, Jeff

(Encyclopedia)Gordon, Jeff (Jeffery Michael Gordon). 1971–, American auto racer, b. Vallejo, Calif. The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing's (NASCAR) Rookie of the Year in 1993, “The Kid” became t...

Alia, Ramiz

(Encyclopedia)Alia, Ramiz, 1925–2011, Albanian politician. He fought with Communist guerrillas in World War II and joined (1943) the Communist party, becoming an officer and political commisar. Under Enver Hoxha,...

van Basten, Marco

(Encyclopedia)van Basten, Marco, 1964–, Dutch soccer player. A powerful striker/forward, he began his professional playing career at Ajax Amsterdam (1982–87), where he was a key factor in the team's capturing t...

Janus, in Roman religion

(Encyclopedia)Janus jāˈnəs [key], in Roman religion, god of beginnings. He was one of the principal Roman gods, the custodian of the universe. The first hour of the day, the first day of the month, the first mon...

Bremer, Paul

(Encyclopedia)Bremer, Paul (Lewis Paul Bremer 3d) brĕˈmər [key], 1941–, U.S. diplomat and government official, b. Hartford, Conn. A career diplomat in the Foreign Service from 1966 to 1989, he was ambassador t...

Brock, Lou

(Encyclopedia)Brock, Lou (Louis Clark Brock), 1939–2020, American baseball player, b. El Dorado, Ark. A left-handed outfielder best known for his extraordinary base running skill, Brock was signed by the Chicago ...

mimosa, in botany

(Encyclopedia)mimosa mĭmōˈsə [key], any tree, shrub, or herb of the genus Mimosa of the family Leguminosae (pulse family), chiefly tropical plants. They usually have feathery foliage and rounded clusters of fra...

marmoset

(Encyclopedia)marmoset märˈməzĕtˌ [key], name for many of the small, squirrellike New World monkeys of the family Callithricidae. Members of this family are all found in tropical South America, with one specie...

bamboo

(Encyclopedia)bamboo, plant of the family Poaceae (grass family), chiefly of warm or tropical regions, where it is sometimes an extremely important component of the vegetation. It is most abundant in the monsoon ar...

characin

(Encyclopedia)characin –sĭd [key], common name for members of the Characidae, a large and diverse family comprising 700 species of freshwater fishes. The characins are related to the carp and the catfish. They a...