Treaty of Sèvres
Sèvres, Treaty of (1920), peace pact between the Allies and Turkey after World War I, signed at Sèvres, France.
21st Century Webster's Family Encyclopedia - Serum to Singing
Serum
Serum, clear yellowish fluid that separates from blood, lymph, and other body fluids when they clot.
Serval
Serval (Felis capensis), large, black spotted, nocturnal wildcat of Africa.
Michael Servetus
Servetus, Michael (Miguel Serveto; 1511–53), Spanish theologian and physician whose religious work Christianismi restitutio (1553) contains the earliest known description of the pulmonary circulation of blood.
Service industries
Service industries, commercial, government, or nonprofit occupations performed without involving the sale of commodities.
Serviceberry
Serviceberry, also called shadbush, shadblow, or Juneberry, wild rose tree or shrub found in many parts of North America and in the Mediterranean region and eastern Asia.
Servomechanism
Servomechanism, or feedback control system, automatic device that detects and corrects errors and maintains constant performance of a mechanism, for example an automatic pilot.
Sesame
Sesame (Sesamum indicum), tropical plant cultivated mainly in China and India for its flat seeds; also, the seeds themselves.
Sesshu
Sesshu (1419–1506), Japanese Buddhist monk and landscape artist.
Roger Sessions
Sessions, Roger (1896–1985), U.S. composer, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for music (1982).
William Steele Sessions
Sessions, William Steele (1930– ), U.S.
Set theory
Set theory, branch of mathematics or symbolic (mathematical) logic in which systems are analyzed by membership in and exclusion from sets. A set is any specified collection of elements or members. In the notation of set theory, members of a set are enclosed in braces as, {a,b,d,x}. Alternatively, a rule defining inclusion in the set may appear in braces. The expression {xx is …
or Set Seth
Seth, or Set, in Egyptian mythology, god of evil, represented with an ass's head and a pig's snout.
Seti I
Seti I, Egyptian ruler of the 19th dynasty who reigned about 1303–1290 B.C.
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton
Seton, Saint Elizabeth Ann, or Mother Seton (1774–1821), first native-born U.S. saint.
Setter
Setter, 3 breeds of long-haired dog used in bird hunting: the English, the Gordon, and the Irish setter.
Settlement house
Settlement house, neighborhood center established to provide social services to inner-city communities and usually staffed by social workers.
Georges Seurat
Seurat, Georges (1859–91), French painter, one of a small group representing neoimpressionism or postimpressionism.
Dr. Seuss
Seuss, Dr. (Theodor Seuss Geisel; 1904– ), U.S. author-illustrator of children's books.
Sevastopol
Sevastopol (pop. 335,000), Black Sea port of the Crimea peninsula in Ukraine, southeast Europe.
Seven Cities of Cibola
Seven Cities of Cibola See: Cibola, Seven Cities of.
Seven seas
Seven seas, archaic collective term for the world's large bodies of water.
Seven Weeks' War
Seven Weeks' War (Austro-Prussian War, June 16-August 23,1866), conflict between Austria (and its German allies), led by Field Marshal Lieutenant von Benedek, and Prussia (and its Italian ally) under Helmuth Karl von Moltke, over control of the Danish duchies of Schleswig and Holstein.
Seven Wonders of the Ancient World
Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, seven magnificent structures of the ancient world, as listed by Greek scholars.
Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War (1756–63), war between Austria, France, Russia, Saxony, Sweden (from 1757), and Spain (after 1762) on the one side and Britain, Prussia, and Hanover on the other.
Seventh-day Adventists
Seventh-day Adventists, Christian religious group, organized in 1863 in both Europe and the United States, who believe that Christ will return in person.
River Severn
Severn, River, Britain's longest river, 220 mi (354 km) long.
John Sevier
Sevier, John (1745–1815), U.S. pioneer and first governor of Tennessee (1796–80, 1803–09).
Seville
Seville (pop. 663,000), city of southwest Spain, capital of Seville province, and an important industrial center and port on the Guadalquivir River.
Sewage
Sewage, liquid and semisolid wastes from dwellings and offices, industrial wastes, and surface and storm waters. Sewage systems collect the sewage, transport and treat it, then discharge it into rivers, lakes, or the sea. Vaulted sewers had been developed by the Romans, but from the Middle Ages until the mid-19th century sewage flowed through the open gutters of cities, constituting a major health…
Samuel Sewall
Sewall, Samuel (1652–1730), colonial American politician and jurist best known as one of the judges in the Salem, Mass., witchcraft trials (1692).
William Henry Seward
Seward, William Henry (1801–72), U.S. politician famousfor his purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867.
Sewing
Sewing, use of a needle and thread to attach, repair, fasten, or decorate fabric or other materials.
Sewing machine
Sewing machine, machine for sewing cloth, leather, or books.
Sex
Sex (sexual behavior), term covering a wide range of behavior derived from or analogous to sexuality and sexual drive.
Sex education
Sex education, study of human sexuality and how it is acquired and expressed. Sex education begins in early childhood when children first show curiosity about their sexuality and body processes. Until the mid-20th century, satisfaction of that curiosity was solely a function of a child's parents, and information from outside the family was discouraged. Today children may receive sexual info…
Sextant
Sextant, instrument for navigation, invented in 1730, superseding the astrolabe.
Anne Sexton
Sexton, Anne (1928–74), U.S. poet.
Seychelles
Seychelles, African republic consisting of about 85 islands in the Indian Ocean 1000 mi (1600 km) east of Kenya.
Horatio Seymour
Seymour, Horatio (1810–86), U.S. politician.
Jane Seymour
Seymour, Jane (15097–37), third wife of England's Henry VIII (from 1536).
Arthur von Seyss-Inquart
Seyss-Inquart, Arthur von (1892–1946), Austrian Nazi leader, governor of Austria (1938–39), and deputy governor of Poland (1939–40).
Shabuot
Shabuot See: Shavuot.
Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton
Shackleton, Sir Ernest Henry (1874–1922), Irish explorer who commanded 3 Antarctic expeditions (1907, 1914, 1921), the first of which came within 97 mi (156 km) of the South Pole and located the south magnetic pole.
Shad
Shad, deep-bodied food fish of the herring family (genus Alosa), which grows to about 3 lb (1.4 kg) and 2 ft (61 cm).
Shadow
Shadow, reduction of light on an area caused when an opaque object interrupts the light source.
Shadow matter
Shadow matter, in science, term to describe a theoretical form of matter that neither reflects nor absorbs light and interacts with ordinary matter only through the force of gravity.
Shaftesbury
Shaftesbury, 3 important English earls, each bearing the name Anthony Ashley Cooper.
Shah
Shah (Persian, “king”), title borne by the rulers of Middle Eastern and some Asian countries.
Shah Jahan
Shah Jahan (1592–1666), fifth mogul emperor of India (1628–58), under whose rule the Moguls achieved their cultural peak.
Shah Namah
Shah Namah See: Firdausi.
Ben Shahn
Shahn, Ben (1898–1969), Lithuanian-born U.S. artist whose realistic works treated social and political themes.
Shakers
Shakers, originally an abusive term for the United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing, a religious sect whose members shook with ecstatic emotion in their worship.
William Shakespeare
Shakespeare, William (1564–1616), English playwright and poet, considered the greatest dramatist ever as well as the finest English language poet. Shakespeare was born of middle class parents in Stratford-upon-Avon where he spent his school years. At 18 years of age he married Anne Hathaway, with whom he had 3 children. In the years 1594 to 1608, Shakespeare was heavily involved in the worl…
Shale
Shale, fine-grained sedimentary rock formed by compaction and drying-out of mud (clay and silt).
Shallot
Shallot, edible hardy perennial (Allium ascalonicum) of the Liliaceae family, used in cooking.
Shamanism
Shamanism, primitive religious system centered around a shaman, or medicine man. (The word shaman is from the language of the Tungus of Siberia).
Yitzhak Shamir
Shamir, Yitzhak (1915– ), prime minister of Israel (1983–92), successor to Menachem Begin.
Shamrock
Shamrock, popular name in Ireland for several leguminous plants, the trifoliate leaves of which were cited by St.
Shang dynasty
Shang dynasty, first historic Chinese dynasty, traditionally said to have lasted from 1766 to 1122 B.C.
Shanghai
Shanghai (pop. 13,450,000), China's largest city, in the southeastern region of Jiangsu province.
Albert Shanker
Shanker, Albert (1928– ), U.S. labor leader.
Shannon River
Shannon River, chief river in Ireland and longest (240 mi/386 km) in the British Isles.
Karl Jay Shapiro
Shapiro, Karl Jay (1913– ), U.S. poet and literary critic.
Harlow Shapley
Shapley, Harlow (1885–1972), U.S. astronomer whose work on pulsating stars (Cepheid variables) and globular clusters established the position of the sun in the galaxy and the size of the Milky Way.
Shar-pei
Shar-pei, dog of Chinese origin first bred from c.200 B.C. as a guard or fighting dog.
Sharaku
Sharaku (fl. late 1700s), professional name of a Japanese woodcut artist known for color portraits of Kabuki actors, produced in 1794 and 1795.
Sharecropping
Sharecropping, arrangement whereby a share of a tenant farmer's yearly land yield (usually 50%) went to the landowner in lieu of rent.
Nawaz Sharif
Sharif, Nawaz (1949– ),primeministerof Pakistan(1990–93 and 1997– ), president of the Islamic Democratic Alliance (IDA), a right-wing Pakistani coalition.
Shark
Shark, any of about 250 species of cartilaginous fishes of marine and fresh waters, order Selachii.
William Rufus Shatter
Shatter, William Rufus (1835–1906), U.S. soldier.
Shavuot
Shavuot, Jewish holiday known as the Festival of Weeks, held on the sixth and seventh days of the month of Sivan (May-June).
Anna Howard Shaw
Shaw, Anna Howard (1847–1919), English-born U.S. leader of women's suffrage and temperance movements.
George Bernard Shaw
Shaw, George Bernard (1856–1950), Irish dramatist, critic, and political propagandist whose witty plays contained serious philosophical and social ideas.
Robert Gould Shaw
Shaw, Robert Gould (1837–63), Union hero of the U.S.
Ted Shawn
Shawn, Ted (Edwin Meyers Shawn; 1891–1972), U.S. dancer, choreographer, and teacher.
Shawnee
Shawnee, Native North Americans of the Algonquian language group.
Shawnee Prophet
Shawnee Prophet (1775?–1837), Shawnee religious leader who (c. 1805) had visions that led him to take the name Tenskwatawa, meaning “the open door.” He began to preach to Native Americans, urging them to quit alcohol and to rededicate themselves to their own traditions.
Daniel Shays
Shays, Daniel See: Shays' Rebellion.
Shays' Rebellion
Shays' Rebellion, uprising in Massachusetts that lasted intermittently from Aug. 1786 to Feb. 1787. At that time the country was suffering a postwar depression, and taxes in Massachusetts were very high and unequally levied. After the legislature ignored local petitions for tax reductions, an easing of legal action against debtors, a halt to mortgage foreclosures, and a proposal to inflate …
Anatoly Borisovich Shcharansky
Shcharansky, Anatoly Borisovich , (1948– ), Soviet mathematician and political dissident.
Shearwater
Shearwater, any of about 12 species of oceanic birds related to the petrel and the albatross.
Charles Sheeler
Sheeler, Charles (1883–1965), U.S. painter and photographer whose linear treatment of architectural forms, interiors, and industrial settings shows the influence of cubism.
Fulton John Sheen
Sheen, Fulton John (1895–1979), U.S.
Sheep
Sheep, diverse genus of mammals best known in the various races of domestic sheep (Ovis aries), bred for both meat and wool.
Sheepdog
Sheepdog, type of dog bred to herd and protect sheep.
Sheffield
Sheffield (pop. 531,000), city in South Yorkshire, northern England.
Sheik
Sheik (more properly spelled “sheikh”), Arabic term for the leader or elder of a family, tribe, or village, also applied to some Muslim religious leaders.
Shell
Shell, any hard external covering secreted by an invertebrate, enclosing and protecting the body.
Shellac
Shellac, resin produced by the lac insect (Laccifer lacca).
Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft (1797–1851), English writer, daughter of philosophical radical William Godwin and Mary Wollstonecraft and wife of poet Percy Bysshe Shelley.
Percy Bysshe Shelley
Shelley, Percy Bysshe (1792–1822), English romantic poet whose work reflects his revolutionary political idealism and his strong faith in the spiritual power of the imagination.
Shelter
Shelter, structure to protect people from the weather, animals, insects, and other threats.
Shelter belt
Shelter belt, planted or natural line of trees that protects soil and crops from wind erosion.
Shenandoah National Park
Shenandoah National Park, area in the Appalachian Mountains, northern Virginia.
Shenandoah River
Shenandoah River, river in Virginia and West Virginia, a major tributary of the Potomac.
Shenandoah Valley
Shenandoah Valley, area between the Allegheny and Blue Ridge mountains in northeastern Virginia.
Shenyang
Shenyang (pop. 4,540,000), formerly Mukden, capital of Liaoning province in northeastern China, on the Hun River.
Alan Bartlett Shepard Jr.
Shepard, Alan Bartlett, Jr. (1923– ) first U.S. astronaut in space (May 5, 1961).
Sam Shepard
Shepard, Sam (1943– ), U.S. actor and playwright noted for almost cinematic inventiveness in such plays as Buried Child (1987; Pulitzer Prize), True West (1980), and Lie of the Mind (1987).
Thomas Sheraton
Sheraton, Thomas (1751–1806), English furniture designer.
Philip Henry Sheridan
Sheridan, Philip Henry (1831–88), U.S. general and Union Civil War hero.
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Sheridan, Richard Brinsley (1751–1816), Irish-born English dramatist and politician famous for his witty comedies of manners, including The Rivals (1775), School for Scandal (1777), and The Critic (1779).
Sheriff
Sheriff, executive officer of a county, a post that has existed in England since before 1066.
Sherman
Sherman, brothers important in the U.S. Civil War era. William Tecumseh Sherman (1820–91) was a Union commander, second in importance only to Gen. Ulysses S. Grant. He fought in the battles of Bull Run (1861) and Shiloh (1862) and in the Vicksburg campaign (1862–63). He was given command of the Army of Tennessee and, with Grant, took part in the Chattanooga campaign (1863). As suprem…
James Schoolcraft Sherman
Sherman, James Schoolcraft (1855–1912), U.S.
Roger Sherman
Sherman, Roger (1721–93), American patriot who helped draft and signed the Declaration of Independence.
Sherman Silver Purchase Act
Sherman Silver Purchase Act (1890), compromise measure aiming to placate mine-owners and the advocates of free silver, which required the U.S. government to double its monthly silver purchases.
Sherpas
Sherpas, Buddhist people of northeast Nepal, famous as Himalayan guides.
Sir Charles Scott Sherrington
Sherrington, Sir Charles Scott (1857–1952), British neurophysiologist who shared with Edgar D.
Sherry
Sherry, alcoholic beverage named for Jérez de la Frontera, Spain, where it originated.
Robert Emmet Sherwood
Sherwood, Robert Emmet (1896–1955), U.S. playwright.
Shetland Islands
Shetland Islands, archipelago of about 200 islands, covering 550 sq mi (1,425 sq km) northeast of Scotland's mainland, constituting its northernmost county.
Shetland pony
Shetland pony, smallest of the ponies, probably a relic of prehistoric British and Scandinavian horses.
Shetland sheepdog
Shetland sheepdog, small dog, developed (19th century) in the Shetland Islands to herd sheep.
Eduard Amvrolyevich Shevardnadze
Shevardnadze, Eduard Amvrolyevich (1928– ), president of the Republic of Georgia (1992– ).
Taras Shevchenko
Shevchenko, Taras (1814–61), Ukrainian patriot and poet.
Shi Huangdi
Shi Huangdi (259?–210 B.C.), emperor of the first Chinese empire and founder of the Qin dynasty.
Shi'te
Shi'te (Arabic, “sectarian”), member of one of Islam's two great sects, the other being the orthodox Sunni.
Shield
Shield, defensive armor, usually carried on the left arm to leave the right arm free for fighting.
Shih Huang-ti
Shih Huang-ti See: Shi Huangdi.
Shih Tzu
Shih Tzu, breed of toy dog.
Shingles
Shingles, or herpes zoster, viral disorder of a nerve center, characterized by pain, a vesicular rash, and later scarring of the skin of the abdomen or trunk.
Everett Shinn
Shinn, Everett (1876–1953), U.S. painter, member of the Ashcan School.
Shinto
Shinto (Japanese, “way of the gods”), indigenous religion of Japan originally based on worship of nature's forms and forces. As this worship evolved, entering a stage of polytheism, its most revered deity became the sun goddess, Ama terasu-o-mi-kami, from whom it was believed the emperors descended. They were regarded as chief priests by divine right, until the disavowal of di…
Ship
Ship, large seagoing vessel for transport of people and goods. The wooden ships of ancient times were propelled by oars, sails, or a combination of the two. In the history of ships, highlights include the triremes (warships) of the Greeks and Romans, the Viking ships of the Middle Ages, and the ships of such powers as Spain, Portugal, and England during the 1400s and 1500s. Transoceanic voyages (o…
model Ship
Ship, model, small copy of a ship.
Shipworm
Shipworm, bivalve mollusk (Teredo navalis) notorious for burrowing into the timbers of piers and wooden ships.
Shire
Shire, administrative division in Great Britain.
Shiva
Shiva, Hindu deity representing that aspect of the Godhead connected with the destruction necessary for renewal of life.
Shock
Shock, specifically refers to the development of low blood pressure, inadequate to sustain blood circulation, usually causing cold, clammy, gray skin and extremities, faintness, mental confusion, and decreased urine production.
Shock absorber
Shock absorber, any mechanism used to lessen impact in vehicles, aircraft, or stable structures.
Shock treatment
Shock treatment, any of several types of therapy for mental illness that involve subjecting the patient to convulsions or seizures produced by electricity.
William Shockley
Shockley, William (1910–89), U.S. physicist who shared with John Bardeen and Walter H.
Shoe
Shoe, protective covering for the foot. The various types include the boot, whose upper extends above the ankle; the clog, a simple wooden-soled shoe; the moccasin, a hunting shoe whose sole extends around and over the foot; the sandal, an open shoe whose sole is secured to the foot by straps; and the slipper, a soft indoor shoe. Shoes have been made from earliest times, the type depending mainly …
Shoebill
Shoebill, African wading bird (Balaenicips rex), native to the White Nile area of the Sudan.
Willie Shoemaker
Shoemaker, Willie (William Lee Shoemaker, 1931– ), U.S. jockey.
Shogun
Shogun, title of the hereditary military commanders of Japan who usurped the power of the emperor in the 12th century and ruled the country for about 700 years.
Sholem Aleichem
Sholem Aleichem (Solomon Rabinovitz; 1859–1916), Russian-born Yiddish humorous writer.
Christopher Latham Sholes
Sholes, Christopher Latham (1819–90), U.S. inventor (with Carlos Glidden and Samuel Soulé) of the typewriter (patented 1868).
Mikhail Sholokhov
Sholokhov, Mikhail (1905–84), Russian novelist awarded the 1965 Nobel Prize in literature.
Shooting star
Shooting star See: Meteor.
Shoplifting
Shoplifting, crime of stealing displayed items from a store.
Shoran
Shoran, acronym for short-range navigation, an electronic system for establishing the position of a ship or aircraft.
Shore Patrol
Shore Patrol, military police of the U.S.
Short story
Short story, form of prose fiction, usually limited in character and situation and between 500 and 20,000 words long.
Short waves
Short waves, electromagnetic (radio) waves having a wavelength from about 32 to 328 ft (10 to 100 m) and a frequency between about 3,000 and 30,000 kilohertz—shorter and of higher frequency than the wavelengths of amplitude modulation (AM) transmissions.
Shorthand
Shorthand, or stenography, any writing system permitting the rapid transcription of speech.
Shorthand machine
Shorthand machine, any of several mechanical devices that use keyboards to record dictation.
Shoshone
Shoshone, group of Native North Americans originally inhabiting the territory between southeastern California and Wyoming.
Dmitri Shostakovich
Shostakovich, Dmitri (1906–75), Soviet composer.
Shot-put
Shot-put, track-and-field competition in which a weight, generally a solid metal ball, is thrown one-handed from the shoulder, using the whole weight of the body in the heave.
Shotgun
Shotgun, smoothbore shoulder firearm that discharges pellets (shot) designed to disperse as they leave the gun muzzle.
Shoulder
Shoulder, term for the area of the body between the trunk and the arm, including bones, joints, and the adjacent tissue.
Shoveler
Shoveler (Anas clypeata), common duck of the family Anatidae native to marshes and lakes of North America, particularly west of the Mississippi River.
Shrapnel
Shrapnel, type of antipersonnel artillery shell made of a hollow metal sphere filled with musket balls or other large shot and an explosive charge detonated by an adjustable fuse.
Shreveport
Shreveport (pop. 334,341), city in northwest Louisiana on the Red River, seat of Caddo Parish.
Shrew
Shrew, small, mouselike, insect-eating mammal with short legs, and long, pointed nose.
Shrike
Shrike, aggressive and predatory passerine bird of the family Laniidae that kills insects, birds, or small mammals with its hooked bill.
Shrimp
Shrimp, decapod crustacean (suborder Natantia) that uses its abdominal limbs to swim instead of crawling like a lobster or crab.
The Shrine
Shrine, The, fraternal order and service branch of the Masons (officially called the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine for North America) open to men who have achieved the rank of Knights Templar or the 32nd Masonic degree.
Sargent Shriver
Shriver, Sargent (1915– ), U.S. politician, first Peace Corps director (1961–66), head of the Office of Economic Opportunity (1964), ambassador to France (1968–70), and unsuccessful Democratic candidate for vice president (1972).
Shroud of Turin
Shroud of Turin, linen cloth bearing the image of a crucified man, believed to be Jesus' burial cloth. Stored at the Cathedral of Turin since 1578, the shroud measures 14 ft 3 in by 3 ft 7 in (434 cm by 109 cm). It received publicity in the 1970s and 1980s when it became available for scientific research. Tests proved that the negative image was not painted but did not determine how it was …
Shrove Tuesday
Shrove Tuesday, last day before Lent begins.
Shrub
Shrub, term for a woody plant that is shorter than a tree and usually has branching stems that give it a bushy appearance.
Shuffleboard
Shuffleboard, game played by 2 or 4 persons who use cues (long sticks) to slide disks down a long, narrow court, 52 × 6 ft (15.8 × 1.8 m), that has a triangular scoring area at either end.
George Pratt Shultz
Shultz, George Pratt (1920– ), U.S. secretary of state (1982–89).
Norman Edward Shumway
Shumway, Norman Edward (1923– ), U.S. surgeon who performed the first adult cardiac transplant in the United States, Jan. 6, 1968, at Stanford Medical Center.
Shush
Shush See: Susa.
Siam
Siam See: Thailand.
Siamese fighting fish
Siamese fighting fish See: Fightingfish.
Siamese twins
Siamese twins, identical twins joined most commonly at the hip, chest, abdomen, buttocks, or head.
Jean Sibelius
Sibelius, Jean (Julius Christian Sibelius, sometimes Jan; 1865–1957), Finnish composer.
Siberia
Siberia, vast, indefinite area of land (about 2.9 million sq km/7.5 million sq km) in northern Russia between the Ural Mountains in the west and the Pacific Ocean in the east, forming most of the Russian Republic. The landscape varies from the Arctic tundra to the great forest zone in the south and the steppes in the west. Summers are mild in most parts, winters extremely severe (as low as −…
Siberian husky
Siberian husky, arctic working dog bred to pull sleds.
Sibyl
Sibyl, in Greek and Roman mythology, female prophet, usually divinely inspired and associated with a shrine or temple.
Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
Sicilies, Kingdom of the Two, name taken by the kingdoms of Sicily and Naples when they merged in 1816 under Ferdinand I.
Sicily
Sicily, largest Mediterranean island (9,925 sq mi/25,706 sq km), part of Italy, but with its own parliament at the capital, Palermo. Its most notable feature is the active volcano, Mt. Etna (height varies around 10,750 ft/3,211 m). Much of the island is mountainous, but there are lowlands along the coasts. About half the population live in the coastal towns Palermo, Catania, Messina, and Siracusa.…
Sickle-cell anemia
Sickle-cell anemia, one of many hereditary blood diseases caused by chemically abnormal hemoglobin in the red blood cells, occurring almost exclusively among blacks.
Siddhartha Gautama
Siddhartha Gautama See: Buddha, Gautama.
Sidereal time
Sidereal time, time as measured by the rotation of the earth relative to the fixed stars rather than relative to the sun.
Sidewinder
Sidewinder, any of several species of snake, especially rattlesnakes, that exhibit a peculiar sideways looping motion when moving rapidly.
Sir Philip Sidney
Sidney, Sir Philip (1554–86), Elizabethan poet and courtier, a favorite with Queen Elizabeth I and a classic example of Renaissance chivalry.
Sidon
Sidon, or Saida (pop. 80,000), city in southern Lebanon, on the Mediterranean Sea.
SIDS
SIDS See: Sudden infant death syndrome.
Karl Marine Georg Siegbahn
Siegbahn, Karl Manne Georg (1886–1978), Swedish physicist who was awarded the 1924 Nobel Prize in physics for his pioneer work in X-ray spectroscopy.
Siegfried
Siegfried, or Sigurd, legendary figure of Germanic mythology possessing outstanding strength and courage.
Siegfried Line
Siegfried Line, defensive line of fortifications built on Germany's western frontier.
Siemens
Siemens, German family of technologists and industrialists.
Siena
Siena (pop. 61,900), city in Tuscany, central Italy.
Henryk Sienkiewicz
Sienkiewicz, Henryk (1846–1916),Polish novelist awarded the 1905 Nobel Prize in literature.
Sierra Club
Sierra Club, environmental organization of North America.
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone, small, independent country in West Africa; a former British colony, borders Guinea to the north, Liberia to the southeast and the Atlantic Ocean to the southwest. Bordering on the Atlantic Ocean and situated between the republics of Guinea, to the north and east, and Liberia, to the south, Sierra Leone has an area of 27,699 sq mi (712,740 sq km). The coastal area consists of mangrove…
Sierra Madre
Sierra Madre, vast mountain system of Mexico.
Sierra Nevada
Sierra Nevada, mountain range, 420 mi (676 km) long, in eastern California, including Mt.
Emmanuel Joseph Sievès
Sievès, Emmanuel Joseph (1748–1836), French revolutionary, legislator, and author.
Sieve of Eratosthenes
Sieve of Eratosthenes, mathematical process for discovering prime numbers.
Sight
Sight See: Eye.
Sigismund
Sigismund (1368–1437), Holy Roman emperor (1433–37), king of Germany (1410–37), Hungary (1387–1437), and Bohemia (1419–37).
Sigma Xi
Sigma Xi, honorary scientific society founded at Cornell University in 1886.
Sign language
Sign language, any system of communication using gesture (usually of the hand and arm) rather than speech.
Paul Signac
Signac, Paul (1863–1935), French painter, leading theorist of neoimpressionism.
Signaling
Signaling, any of various methods of nonverbal communication.
Sikhism
Sikhism, religion combining elements of Hindu and Muslim beliefs. Founded by the guru Nanak at the turn of the 16th century, Sikhism is a monotheism whose teachings are embodied in its holy book, The Adi Granth. The word sikh means “disciple.” Among the beliefs of the Sikhs is the Hindu concept of reincarnation. Their tenth and final guru, Gobind Singh (1666–1708), led a fight…
Sikkim
Sikkim, state in northeast India, located in the Himalaya Mountains, bordered by Tibet on the north, Nepal on the west, and Bhutan on the east.
Igor Ivanovich Sikorsky
Sikorsky, Igor Ivanovich (1889–1972), Russian-born U.S. aircraft designer best known for his invention of the first successful helicopter, flown in 1939.
Frans Eemil Silanpää
Silanpää, Frans Eemil (1888–1964), Finnish novelist awarded the 1939 Nobel Prize in literature.
Silesia
Silesia, region of central Europe, mostly in Poland but extending to the Czech Republic and eastern Germany.
Silica
Silica, chemical compound (SiO2), properly called silicon dioxide.
Silica gel
Silica gel, chemical substance (SiO2) forming a noncrystalline form of silica.
Silicate
Silicate, any of various metallic compounds containing silicon and oxygen, generally with tetrahedral structures.
Silicon
Silicon, chemical element, symbol Si; for physical constants see Periodic Table.
Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley, area around Sunnyvale, in the Santa Clara Valley, Calif., where many semiconductor manufacturers are located.
Silicone
Silicone, polymer with alternate atoms of silicon and oxygen and organic groups attached to the silicon.
Silicosis
Silicosis, form of pneumoconiosis, or fibrotic lung disease, in which longstanding inhalation of fine silica dusts in mining causes a progressive reduction in the functional capacity of the lungs.
Silk
Silk, natural fiber produced by certain insects and spiders to make cocoons and webs, a glandular secretion extruded from the spinneret and hardened into a filament on exposure to air.
Silk-screen printing
Silk-screen printing, method of printing derived from the stencil process.
Silkworm
Silkworm, caterpillar of a moth (Bombyx mori) that, like many other caterpillars, spins itself a cocoon of silk in which it pupates.
Silky terrier
Silky terrier (formerly called Sydney Silky), breed of toy dog from Australia.
Benjamin Silliman
Silliman, Benjamin (1779–1864), U.S. chemist and geologist who founded The American Journal of Science and Arts (1818).
Sillimanite
Sillimanite, relatively rare silicate mineral (Al2SiO5) found in France, Madagascar, Brazil, and the eastern United States.
Beverly Sills
Sills, Beverly (Belle Silverman; 1929– ), U.S. coloratura soprano.
Silo
Silo, structure used on farms to preserve grasses, or silage, for livestock feed.
Ignazio Silone
Silone, Ignazio (Secondo Tranquilli; 1900–78), Italian writer and social reformer.
Silt
Silt, fine deposit, or sediment, found on river or lake bottoms.
Silurian
Silurian, third period of the Paleozoic era, which lasted between c.435 and 395 million years ago.
Silver
Silver, chemical element, symbol Ag; for physical constants see Periodic Table.
Silver nitrate
Silver nitrate, chemical compound (AgNO3) made from silver and nitric acid, used medically and industrially.
Silverfish
Silverfish, any of various wingless insects of the order Thysanura.
Georges Simenon
Simenon, Georges (Georges Joseph Christian Sim; 1903–89), Belgian-born French author of over 200 novels and thousands of short stories.
Simhat Torah
Simhat Torah, Jewish holiday celebrated on either the 22nd or 23rd day of the Hebrew month of Tishri.
William Gilmore Simms
Simms, William Gilmore (1806–70), U.S. author whose writings on the South include historical novels, short stories, biographies, and poetry.
Claude (Eugene-Henri) Simon
Simon, Claude (Eugene-Henri) (1913– ), French writer.
Neil Simon
Simon, Neil (1927– ), U.S. playwright whose career began with successful comedies such as Come Blow Your Horn (1961), Barefoot in the Park (1963), and The Odd Couple (1965).
Simon Peter
Simon Peter See: Peter, Saint.
Saint Simon
Simon, Saint, one of the twelve disciples (apostles) of Jesus.
Simplon Pass and Tunnel
Simplon Pass and Tunnel, Alpine route, 6,590 ft (2,009 m) high and 29 mi (46.7 km) long, between Brig, Switzerland, and Isella, Italy.
O.J. Simpson
Simpson, O.J. (Orenthal James Simpson; 1947– ), U.S. football player.
Wallis Warfield Simpson
Simpson, Wallis Warfield See: Edward.
Sin
Sin, or transgression, in Judeo-Christian tradition, unethical act considered as disobedience to the revealed will of God. Sin may be viewed legally as crime—breaking God's commandments—and so deserving punishment, or as an offense that grieves God the loving Father. According to the Bible, sin entered the world in Adam's fall and all humankind became innately sinful. B…
Sinai
Sinai, in the Bible, mountain on the Sinai Peninsula where Moses received the Ten Commandments.
Sinai Peninsula
Sinai Peninsula, triangular desert-mountain area, nearly 150 mi (241 km) at its widest and about 230 mi (370 km) north to south, bounded by the northern arms of the Red Sea, i.e., the Gulf of Suez on the west and the Gulf of Aqaba on the east.
Frank Sinatra
Sinatra, Frank (Francis Albert Sinatra; 1915–98), U.S. singer and film star.
Upton Sinclair
Sinclair, Upton (1878–1968), novelist and social reformer.
Singapore
Singapore, small island republic in southeast Asia lying at the southern end of the Malay Peninsula. Consisting of Singapore Island and several adjacent islets, Singapore has a total area of about 240 sq mi (622 sq km). Singapore Island is separated from the Malay Peninsula by the narrow Johore Strait crossed by a road and a railroad causeway that also has a pipeline bringing fresh water to the is…
Isaac Bashevis Singer
Singer, Isaac Bashevis (1904–86), Polish-born U.S.
Isaac Merrit Singer
Singer, Isaac Merrit (1811–75), U.S. inventor of the first viable domestic sewing machine (patented 1851).
Israel Joshua Singer
Singer, Israel Joshua (1893–1944), Polish-born U.S.
Singing
Singing, music created with the voice.
Battle of Slliloll
Slliloll, Battle of, major conflict of the U.S.