Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Caño Cristales

(Encyclopedia)Caño Cristales, river, c.62 mi (100 km) long, central Colombia, rising in Serranía de la Macarena National Park and flowing SE to the Guayabero River. Also known as the “River of Five Colors” or...

tourmaline

(Encyclopedia)tourmaline to͝orˈməlĭn, –lēn [key], complex borosilicate mineral with varying amounts of aluminum, iron, magnesium, sodium, lithium, potassium, and sometimes other elements, used as a gem. It o...

Green Mountain Boys

(Encyclopedia)Green Mountain Boys, popular name of armed bands formed (c.1770) under the auspices of Ethan Allen in the Green Mountains of what is today Vermont. Their purpose was to prevent the New Hampshire Grant...

corundum

(Encyclopedia)corundum kərŭnˈdəm [key], mineral, aluminum oxide, Al2O3. The clear varieties are used as gems and the opaque as abrasive materials. Corundum occurs in crystals of the hexagonal system and in mass...

Gospel

(Encyclopedia)Gospel [M.E.,=good news; evangel from Gr.,= good news], a written account of the life of Jesus. Though the Gospels of the New Testament are all anonymous, since the 2d cent. they have been named Matth...

Auburn

(Encyclopedia)Auburn ôˈbərn [key]. 1 City (2020 pop. 76,143), Lee co., E Ala.; inc. 1839. The city's economy centers around Auburn Univ.; there is some manufacturing. 2 City (2...

Thomas, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Thomas, Saint, one of the Twelve Apostles, called Didymus. According to John, he refused to believe in the resurrection until he saw Jesus' wounds; hence the expression “doubting Thomas.” John 11....

Cogswell, Joseph Green

(Encyclopedia)Cogswell, Joseph Green kŏgzˈwĕl, –wəl [key], 1786–1871, American librarian and bibliographer, b. Ipswich, Mass. After studying abroad, Cogswell taught mineralogy and geology at Harvard and bec...

Fox, river, United States

(Encyclopedia)Fox, river, 176 mi (283 km) long, rising in S central Wis. and flowing SW to within 1.5 mi (2.4 km) of Portage, Wis., on the Wisconsin River, then NE through Lake Winnebago into Green Bay, an arm of L...

jade

(Encyclopedia)jade, common name for either of two minerals used as gems. The rarer variety of jade is jadeite, a sodium aluminum silicate, NaAl(SiO3)2, usually white or green in color; the green variety is the more...
 

Browse by Subject