Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Bellerophon

(Encyclopedia)Bellerophon bəlĕrˈəfŏn, –fən [key], in Greek mythology, son of Glaucus (3;) originally called Hipponoüs. He changed his name after he murdered a countryman and was forced to flee to exile. He...

Book of Changes

(Encyclopedia)Book of Changes or I Ching ē jĭng, ē chĭng [key], ancient Chinese book of prophecy and wisdom. The oldest parts of its text are thought to have attained their present form in the century before Co...

yarrow

(Encyclopedia)yarrow, a plant of the genus Achillea, perennial herbs of the family Asteraceae (aster family), native to north temperate regions. Several species are cultivated as ornamentals for their flat-topped c...

Anouilh, Jean

(Encyclopedia)Anouilh, Jean zhäN änwēˈyə [key], 1910–87, French dramatist. Anouilh's many popular plays range from tragedy to sophisticated comedy. His first play, L'hermine, was published in 1932. During th...

Benedict, Ruth Fulton

(Encyclopedia)Benedict, Ruth Fulton, 1887–1948, American anthropologist, b. New York City, grad. Vassar, 1909, Ph.D. Columbia, 1923. She was a student and later a colleague of Franz Boas at Columbia, where she ta...

Gossart, Jan

(Encyclopedia)Gossart or Gossaert, Jan, c.1478–1532, Flemish painter, b. Maubeuge, also known as Jan de Mabuse after his birthplace. He may have studied in Bruges before joining the Antwerp guild in 1503. In 1508...

Delos

(Encyclopedia)Delos dēˈlôs [key], island, c.1 sq mi (2.6 sq km), SE Greece, in the Aegean Sea, smallest of the Cyclades. In Greek mythology, Leto gave birth to Apollo and Artemis on Delos; and the island was par...

Náxos

(Encyclopedia)Náxos näkˈsôs, năkˈsŏs [key], island (1991 pop. 14,838), c.160 sq mi (410 sq km), SE Greece, in the Aegean Sea; largest of the Cyclades. Náxos, the chief town, is on the western shore. The fer...

bull-roarer

(Encyclopedia)bull-roarer, an instrument consisting of slit board or chamber attached to a cord. When swung around in the air, it emits a deep, vibrant, “whirrrrrr”-like sound. The mythology of some Native Sout...

Ariadne

(Encyclopedia)Ariadne ărēădˈnē [key], in Greek mythology, Cretan princess, daughter of Minos and Pasiphaë. She loved Theseus, and gave him the skein of thread that enabled him to make his way out of the labyr...
 

Browse by Subject