Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) existentialism ĕgzĭstĕnˈshəlĭzəm, ĕksĭ– [key], any of several philosophic systems, all centered on the individual and his relationship to the universe or to God. Important existentialists o...

(Encyclopedia) Booker Prize, an award of £50,000 (originally £5,000) for the best novel of the year published in English in Great Britain; prior to 2014, it was only given to a British, Irish, or Commonwealth writ...

(Encyclopedia) Neandertal or Neanderthal nāänˈdərtälˌ [key], small valley, W Germany, E of Düsseldorf. In 1856 remains of Neanderthal man were discovered there. ...

(Encyclopedia) Cecrops sēˈkrŏps [key], in Greek mythology, founder and first king of Athens. A primeval being, he was half man and half serpent. As a maker of laws, he abolished human sacrifice, established monog...

(Encyclopedia) Flin Flon flĭn flŏn [key], city, in Saskatchewan, 330), on the Man.-Sask. border, Canada. It ...

(Encyclopedia) Souris so͝orˈĭs [key], river, c.450 mi (720 km) long, rising in S Sask., Canada, and flowing southeast with a great loop into N.Dak. (passing Minot), then N and NE to the Assiniboine River in SW Ma...

(Encyclopedia) Stymphalian birds stĭmfāˈlēən [key], in Greek mythology, dangerous man-eating birds that infested the woods around Lake Stymphalus in Arcadia. As his fifth labor, Hercules frightened the birds in...

(Encyclopedia) Madonna (Madonna Louise Ciccone) mədŏnˈə, chĭkōˈnē [key], 1958–, American p...

(Encyclopedia) histology hĭstŏlˈəjē [key], study of the groups of specialized cells called tissues that are found in most multicellular plants and animals. Histologists study the organization of tissues at all ...

(Encyclopedia) Modoc mōˈdŏk [key], Native North Americans whose language belongs to the Sahaptin-Chinook branch of the Penutian linguistic stock (see Native American languages). They formerly lived in SW Oregon a...