Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Diwali, the festival of lights, celebrated by Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs; one of the most popular holidays in South Asia. Extending over five days, it marks the beginning of the new year in the Vikrama ...

(Encyclopedia) Clavius, Cristoph krĭsˈtôf klāˈvēəs [key], 1537–1612, German astronomer and mathematician. He entered the Jesuit order in 1555 and studied at Coimbra and Rome. He taught mathematics at the Co...

(Encyclopedia) Harunobu (Suzuki Harunobu) so͞ozo͞oˈkē häro͞oˈnōˈbo͞o [key], 1724–70, Japanese color-print artist of the ukiyo-e school. He was the first to use a wide range of colors effectively in print...

(Encyclopedia) Brumaire brümârˈ [key], second month of the French Revolutionary calendar. The coup of 18 (actually 18–19) Brumaire (Nov. 9–10, 1799), engineered chiefly by Sieyès, overthrew the Directory and...

(Encyclopedia) Eudoxus of Cnidus yo͞odŏkˈsəs, nīˈdəs [key], 408?–355? b.c., Greek astronomer, mathematician, and physician. From the accounts of various ancient writers, he appears to have studied with Plat...

(Encyclopedia) name. Personal identifying names are found in every known culture, and they often pass from one language to another. Hence the occurrence of Native American place names throughout the United States an...

(Encyclopedia) McClintock, John, 1814–70, American Methodist Episcopal clergyman and educator, b. Philadelphia. From 1836 to 1848 he taught at Dickinson College, resigning to edit (1848–56) the Methodist Quarter...

(Encyclopedia) Bernardine of Siena, Saint bûrˈnərdĭn, sēĕnˈə [key], 1380–1444, Italian preacher. He was a Franciscan of the Observant congregation and one of the most effective and most widely known preach...

(Encyclopedia) Gezer gēˈzər [key], ancient city of Canaan, on the coastal plain of Sharon, NW of Jerusalem. Its position guarding the road from Jerusalem to Jaffa has always given it importance, e.g., in the wars...

(Encyclopedia) Peter or Peters, Hugh, 1598–1660, British Puritan clergyman, educated at Cambridge. He became a priest of the Established Church, but his Puritan doctrines forced him to leave England for Holland c....