Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

298 results found

Ma, Jack

(Encyclopedia)Ma, Jack, 1964–, Chinese business executive and on-line retailing pioneer, whose Chinese name is Ma Yun mä yün [key]. He taught English at Hangzhou Institute of Electronics and Engineering (now Ha...

Iowa, indigenous people of North America

(Encyclopedia)Iowa īˈəwə, –wāˌ [key], Native North Americans whose language belongs to the Siouan branch of the Hokan-Siouan linguistic stock (see Native American languages); also called the Ioway. They, wi...

Langlade, Charles Michel de

(Encyclopedia)Langlade, Charles Michel de shärl mēshĕlˈ də [key], 1729–1800, pioneer in present-day Wisconsin and soldier, b. Mackinac region, now in Mich.; son of a trader, Augustin Langlade, who establishe...

Emery, Walter Ralph

(Encyclopedia) Emery, Walter Ralph, 1933-2022, American country music broadcaster, b. McEwen, Tn. Commonly recognized as the "Dick Clark" of country radio, Emery helped legitimatize and popularize the genre over ...

Worcester, city, United States

(Encyclopedia)Worcester, industrial city (1990 pop. 169,759), seat of Worcester co., central Mass., on the Blackstone River; inc. 1722. The canalization (1828) of the Blackstone River marked the beginning of Worces...

Orrery, Roger Boyle, 1st earl of

(Encyclopedia)Orrery, Roger Boyle, 1st earl of, 1621–79, Irish statesman and writer; son of Richard Boyle, 1st earl of Cork. Created (1627) Baron Broghill, he studied at Trinity College, Dublin, traveled abroad, ...

Godwin, William

(Encyclopedia)Godwin, William, 1756–1836, English author and political philosopher. A minister in his youth, he was, however, plagued by religious doubts and gave up preaching in 1783 for a literary career. His E...

Haldane, John Burdon Sanderson

(Encyclopedia)Haldane, John Burdon Sanderson hôlˈdān, –dən [key], 1892–1964, British geneticist, biologist, and popularizer of science; son of John Scott Haldane. He studied at Oxford until his studies were...

jade

(Encyclopedia)jade, common name for either of two minerals used as gems. The rarer variety of jade is jadeite, a sodium aluminum silicate, NaAl(SiO3)2, usually white or green in color; the green variety is the more...

MacKay, Peter Gordon

(Encyclopedia)MacKay, Peter Gordon məkāˈ [key], 1966–, Canadian politician, b. New Glasgow, N.S. A lawyer who briefly worked (1992–93) in Germany, MacKay returned to his native Nova Scotia in 1993 and became...
 

Browse by Subject