Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Giraudoux, Jean zhäN zhērōdo͞oˈ [key], 1882–1944, French novelist and dramatist. He was a prolific writer and combined his literary work with a long and successful diplomatic career. His early ...

(Encyclopedia) undine əndēnˈ, ŭnˈdēn [key], in folklore, female water sprite who could acquire a soul by marrying a human being. If, however, her lover proved unfaithful, she had to return to the sea. The lege...

(Encyclopedia) Jean zhäN [key], 1921–2019, grand duke of Luxembourg (1964–2000); son of Charlotte, grand duchess of Luxembourg, and Felix, prince of Bourbon-Parma. He fought with Great Britain's Irish Guards in...

(Encyclopedia) Saint Jean săN zhäN [key], city (1991 pop. 37,607), S Que., Canada, on the Richelieu River, SE of Montreal. It is an industrial center with textile and hosiery mills and manufactures such as sewing ...

(Encyclopedia) Vigo, Jean zhäN vēgōˈ [key], 1905–34, French movie director, whose original name was Jean Almereyda. His reputation is based on two superb films: Zéro de Conduite (1933) and L'Atalante (1934, u...

(Encyclopedia) Lafitte, Jean: see Laffite, Jean. ...

(Encyclopedia) Dorat, Jean: see Daurat, Jean.

(Encyclopedia) Daumat, Jean: see Domat, Jean.

(Encyclopedia) Claude, Jean klōd [key], 1619–87, French Protestant theologian. As Protestant pastor at Paris, Claude received considerable attention for his disagreements with the Roman Catholic apologist Jacque...

(Encyclopedia) Toomer, Jean, 1894–1967, American writer, b. Washington, D.C., as Nathan Eugene Toomer. A major figure of the Harlem Renaissance, he is known mainly for Cane (1923, rev. ed. 1988, 2011), a collectio...