Search

Search results

Displaying 441 - 450

inert gas

(Encyclopedia) inert gas or noble gas, any of the elements in Group 18 of the periodic table. In order of increasing atomic number they are: helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, and radon. They are…

infant respiratory distress syndrome

(Encyclopedia) infant respiratory distress syndrome (IRDS) or hyaline membrane diseaseinfant respiratory distress syndromehīˈəlĭn, –līnˌ [key], respiratory distress syndrome of newborns, most common…

national assembly

(Encyclopedia) national assembly, name of a number of past and present constituent or legislative bodies. In France, under the constitutions of the Fourth and Fifth republics, the lower house of…

Otis, James

(Encyclopedia) Otis, James, 1725–83, American colonial political leader, b. Barnstable co., Mass. A lawyer first in Plymouth and then in Boston, he won great distinction and served (1756–61) as…

Mindszenty, József

(Encyclopedia) Mindszenty, JózsefMindszenty, Józsefmĭndˈsĕntē [key], 1892–1975, Hungarian prelate, cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He was bishop of Veszprém during the German occupation of…

Mubarak, Muhammad Hosni

(Encyclopedia) Mubarak, Muhammad HosniMubarak, Muhammad Hosnihōsˈnē m&oomacr;bəˈrək [key], 1928–2020, president of Egypt (1981–2011). Air force commander (1972–75) and vice president (1975–81) of…

mandamus

(Encyclopedia) mandamusmandamusmăndāˈməs [key] [Lat.,=we order], in law, writ directing the performance of ministerial acts. A ministerial act is one that a person or body is obliged by law to…

Mantel, Dame Hilary

(Encyclopedia) Mantel, Dame Hilary, 1952–, English novelist, b. Hilary Mary Thompson. After working as a social worker, she moved to Botswana with her geologist husband and later to Jiddah, Saudi…

asylum

(Encyclopedia) asylumasyluməsīˈləm [key], extension of hospitality and protection to a fugitive and the place where such protection is offered. The use of temples and churches for this purpose in…

membrane

(Encyclopedia) membrane, structure composed mostly of lipid and protein that forms the external boundary of cells and of major structures within cells. Membrane organization is based on a sheet two…