Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) endoderm ĕnˈdədûrmˌ [key], in biology, inner layer of tissue formed in the gastrula stage of the developing embryo. At the end of the blastula stage, cells of the embryo are arranged in the form ...

(Encyclopedia) mesoderm, in biology, middle layer of tissue formed in the gastrula stage of the developing embryo. At the end of the blastula stage, cells of the embryo are arranged in the form of a hollow ball. Con...

(Encyclopedia) Charles, James, 1906–78, American fashion designer known primarily for his high-style couture creations, b. Sandhurst, England. Although he had no formal training in dressmaking, he is generally con...

(Encyclopedia) Romário (Romário de Souza Faria), 1966–, Brazilian soccer player. A striker, he had a long stride and outstanding control and mobility despite his small stature (5 ft 6 in./1.68 m). He played with...

(Encyclopedia) rose of Jericho, common name for two plants belonging to different families in the plant kingdom. One, an annual desert plant (Anastatica hierochuntica) of the family Cruciferae (or Brassicaceae; must...

(Encyclopedia) Spalding, Albert Goodwill, 1849–1915, American baseball player and business executive, b. Byron, Ill. He played as an amateur for the Rockford, Ill., Forest Citys (1866–68) and then was paid unoff...

(Encyclopedia) echidna ĭkĭdˈnə [key] or spiny anteater, animal of the order Monotremata, the egg-laying mammals. A short-legged, grayish brown animal, the echidna is covered with sharp quills and can protect its...

(Encyclopedia) Jarrell, Randall jərĕlˈ [key], 1914–65, American poet and critic, b. Nashville, Tenn., grad. Vanderbilt Univ. (B.A., 1935; M.A., 1938). His poetry, reflecting an unusually sensitive and tragic vi...

(Encyclopedia) Wagner, Honus hōˈnŭs wăgˈnər [key], 1874–1955, American baseball player, b. Mansfield (now Carnegie), Pa. His real name was John Peter Wagner. He played semiprofessional ball in Ohio and was g...

(Encyclopedia) Givenchy, Hubert de (Count Hubert James Marcel Taffin de Givenchy) übĕrˈ də zhēväNshēˈ [key], 1927–2018, French fashion designer. An assistant designer to Schiaparelli, he opened his own hou...