Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Maecenas

(Encyclopedia)Maecenas (Caius Maecenas) mĭsēˈnəs, mē– [key], d. 8 b.c., Roman statesman and patron of letters. He was born (between 74 b.c. and 64 b.c.) into a wealthy family and was a trusted adviser of Oct...

Clarke, James Freeman

(Encyclopedia)Clarke, James Freeman, 1810–88, American Unitarian clergyman and author, b. Hanover, N.H. While in charge of the Unitarian church in Louisville, Ky. (1833–40), he was for three years editor of the...

circumpolar star

(Encyclopedia)circumpolar star, star whose diurnal circle lies completely above or completely below an observer's horizon. A star whose diurnal circle lies above the horizon never sets, even though it cannot be see...

Cherokee Strip

(Encyclopedia)Cherokee Strip or Cherokee Outlet, a narrow piece of land in N Oklahoma. Bounded on the north by the Kansas border, it has an area of more than 6 million acres (2.4 million hectares). Measuring some 5...

Ciardi, John

(Encyclopedia)Ciardi, John chēärˈdē [key], 1916–86, American poet, b. Boston, grad. Tufts College, B.A., 1938, Univ. of Michigan, M.A., 1939. His poetry, noted for its wit and perception, includes Homeward to...

Dexter, Colin

(Encyclopedia)Dexter, Colin (Norman Colin Dexter), 1930–2017, English mystery novelist, b. Stamford, Lincolnshire. He as a classics teacher in secondary schools until deafness forced him to find a new career; he ...

Dean, James

(Encyclopedia)Dean, James (James Byron Dean), 1931–55, American film actor, b. Marion, Ind. After a few stage and television roles, Dean was chosen to play the moody, rebellious son in the film East of Eden (1953...

Echegaray, José

(Encyclopedia)Echegaray, José hōsāˈ āchāgärīˈ [key], 1832–1916, Spanish dramatist, mathematician, physicist, economist, and politician. He taught science, practiced engineering, and devoted his later lif...

Duguay-Trouin, René

(Encyclopedia)Duguay-Trouin, René rənāˈ dügāˈ-tro͞oăNˈ [key], 1673–1736, French privateer and naval officer. A member of a Breton family of shipowners, he became (1689) a privateer and was given command...

Jones, Samuel Milton

(Encyclopedia)Jones, Samuel Milton, 1846–1904, American political reformer, known as “Golden Rule” Jones, b. Wales. He was brought to America as a child and worked in the oil fields of Pennsylvania and Ohio. ...
 

Browse by Subject