Éire
Éire See: Ireland.
21st Century Webster's Family Encyclopedia - Eilat to ERA
Ε pluribus unum
Ε pluribus unum (“out of many, one”), Latin motto referring to the unification of the original 13 American colonies.
Eilat
Eilat See: Elat.
Albert Einstein
Einstein, Albert (1879–1955), German-born U.S. physicist, one of the greatest scientific figures. He received the Nobel Prize in physics in 1921 for his services to theoretical physics, especially the discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect. While still a youth he taught himself calculus and science. In 1896 he entered the Swiss Federal Polytechnic School in Zurich, where he traine…
Einstein theory
Einstein theory See: Relativity.
Einsteinium
Einsteinium, chemical element, symbol Es; for physical constants see Periodic Table.
Willem Einthoven
Einthoven, Willem (1860–1927), Dutch physiologist, awarded the 1924 Nobel Prize for physiology or medicine for his invention of, and investigation of heart action with, the electrocardiograph.
Dwight David Eisenhower
Eisenhower, Dwight David (1890–1969), 34th president of the United States, nicknamed “Ike”. Eisenhower's two terms in office are remembered as peaceful years, because one of his first official acts was to move for an end to the unpopular Korean War. They were also, however, tense years of Cold War with the communist bloc. A year after graduating from high school in 1909…
Alfred Eisenstaedt
Eisenstaedt, Alfred (1898–95), pioneering U.S. photojournalism He worked for Life magazine for over 30 years.
Sergei Mikhailovich Eisenstein
Eisenstein, Sergei Mikhailovich (1898–1948), Soviet film director.
EKG
EKG See: Electrocardiogram.
El Aaiun
El Aaiun, also Aiun (pop. 25,000), Laayoune, or Ayun, city in Western Sahara (territory in northwest Africa occupied by Morocco), about 10 mi (16 km) from the Atlantic Ocean.
El Alamein
El Alamein, Egyptian city 65 mi (105 km) east of Alexandria.
El Dorado
El Dorado (Spanish, “the gilded one”), legendary South American king who was reputed to cover himself with gold dust at festivals and then, as a sacrifice, wash it off in a lake into which his subjects also threw gold; also, legendary kingdom on the Amazon River, sought for its reputed wealth by Spanish explorers of the 16th century.
El Greco
El Greco See: Greco, El.
El Misti
El Misti, 19,101-ft (5,822-m) dormant volcano located in the Western Cordillera mountain range in Peru.
El Niño
El Niño, current that travels south along the Pacific coasts of Peru and Ecuador approximately every 4 years, warming the normally cold waters.
El Paso
El Paso (pop. 543,800), city in western Texas and the seat of El Paso County.
El Salvador
El Salvador, republic in Central America, bordered by Guatemala to the west, Honduras to the north and east, and the Pacific Ocean to the south. El Salvador is the only country in Central America with no Caribbean coastline. Two parallel mountain ridges cross the country from east to west enclosing generally fertile plateaus and valleys. The Lempa River (200 mi/322 km), Central America's la…
Eland
Eland, largest antelope (6 ft/180 cm), belonging to the family Bovidae, with spiral horns and a short mane.
Elat
Elat, or Eilat (pop. 19,600), town at the southern tip of Israel on the Gulf of Aqaba.
Elba
Elba, Italian island in the Mediterranean, 6 mi (9.7 km) off the west coast of central Italy.
Elbe River
Elbe River, major river in central Europe.
Elder
Elder, or elderberry, tree or shrub (genus Sambucus) of the honeysuckle family, native to temperate and subtropical regions.
Elderberry
Elderberry See: Elder.
Eleanor of Aquitaine
Eleanor of Aquitaine (1122–1204), daughter and heir of William X, duke of Aquitaine; queen consort first to Louis VII of trance (marriage annulled 1152) and then to Henry II of England.
Elecampane
Elecampane (Inula helenium), large coarse herb with yellow flowers, native to Europe and Asia as far east as the Himalayas.
Election
Election, selection of public officeholders by vote. Elections may be direct or indirect. In direct elections the voters themselves choose among the candidates for office or proposals in a referendum. In indirect elections voters choose delegates who cast the final and decisive votes. A well-known example of this process is the American electoral college, the body of delegates that, theoretically,…
Election campaign
Election campaign, period before an election when candidates and political parties carry out actions to win votes.
Electoral college
Electoral college, body elected by popular vote that in turn elects the president and vice president of the United States. The college was conceived as a compromise between direct popular elections and rule by appointment or inheritance. The voters of each state choose electors (whose names often do not appear on the ballot) by indicating their choice for president and vice president. The winning …
Electoral Commission
Electoral Commission, group of 15 members (5 senators, 5 representatives, 5 Supreme Court justices) created by Congress in 1877 to determine the winner of the presidential election of 1876.
Electra
Electra, in Greek mythology, daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, and the older sister of Orestes.
Electra complex
Electra complex, in psychoanalysis, the attraction of a daughter to her father, named for Electra, daughter of Agamemnon in Greek mythology.
Electric arc
Electric arc, area of intense light and heat produced by the passage of electricity across a small gap between 2 electrodes.
Electric battery
Electric battery See: Battery.
Electric car
Electric car, automobile powered by electricity.
Electric circuit
Electric circuit, path followed by an electric current.
Electric current
Electric current, flow of electric charges.
Electric eel
Electric eel (Electrophorus electricus), eellike species of fish of the family Electrophoridae that can produce an electric discharge, found in northern South America.
Electric eye
Electric eye, or photoelectric cell, electronic device either producing current or allowing current to flow when light shines on it, used for controlling such devices as lights and burglar alarms, and for measuring light for photographic and video equipment.
Electric field
Electric field, field that surrounds an electric charge and exerts force on any nearby electric charges.
Electric fish
Electric fish, any of various fishes having the ability to generate electric currents for stunning prey or enemies or for locating nearby objects.
Electric furnace
Electric furnace, furnace powered by electricity and used for melting, alloying, and heat-treating steel alloys and for manufacturing high-speed tools.
Electric fuse
Electric fuse See: Fuse.
Electric generator
Electric generator, or dynamo, machine producing electricity most often by converting mechanical energy into electrical energy.
Electric heating
Electric heating See: Heating.
Electric induction
Electric induction See: Induction, electric.
Electric light
Electric light, device using electric energy to produce visible light.
Electric measurement
Electric measurement, measurable, observable effects (heat, force, magnetism) of electric current.
Electric meter
Electric meter, instrument for measuring the consumption of electricity.
Electric motor
Electric motor, machine for converting electric energy into mechanical energy.
Electric power
Electric power, electric energy used for work, measured in units called watts. Electric power plants create mechanical energy that is converted via a generator into electricity. Fossil-fueled steam electric power plants produce electricity by burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas), and hydroelectric power plants use the energy of falling water. Nuclear power plants use heat produced by nucl…
Electric railroad
Electric railroad, fast, quiet, non-polluting, electrically powered, high-speed railway system including passenger and freight trains, subways, and elevated systems.
Electric ray
Electric ray See: Torpedo.
Electric shock
Electric shock See: Shock treatment.
Electric switch
Electric switch, device used to open and close an electric circuit.
Electric train
Electric train See: Electric railroad.
Electric wiring
Electric wiring, system of wires that carries electric current through a building.
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering See: Engineering.
Electricity
Electricity, phenomenon of charged subatomic particles at rest or in motion. Electricity provides a highly versatile form of energy. Electric charge is an inherent property of matter. Electrons carry a negative charge and protons carry a positive charge. For each electron in the atom, there is normally 1 proton. When this balance is disturbed, a net charge is left on an object; the study of such i…
Electrocardiogram
Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), measurements of the wave patterns produced by the electrical currents generated by the contractions of the heart muscles.
Electrochemistry
Electrochemistry, branch of physical chemistry dealing with the effect of electricity on chemical charge and the interconversion of electrical and chemical energy.
Electrocution
Electrocution, usually fatal effect of passing a high-energy electrical current through a body.
Electrode
Electrode, electric conductor that supplies current.
Electroencephalograph
Electroencephalograph, instrument for recording the brain's electrical activity using several small electrodes on the scalp. Its results are produced in the form of an electroencephalogram (EEG). The EEG is a convenient method for the investigation of brain disturbances and disease (benign and malignant tumors, disturbances in blood vessels, epilepsy, inflammation, metabolic changes). The G…
Electrolysis
Electrolysis, process of changing the chemical composition of a conducting material (electrolyte) by sending an electric current through it.
Electrolyte
Electrolyte, electrical conductor in which the current is in the form of ions—atoms with an electric charge—rather than free electrons, as is the case with a wire.
Electromagnet
Electromagnet, device that produces a temporary magnetic field when an electric current flows through it.
Electromagnetic force
Electromagnetic force See: Grand unified theories.
Electromagnetic waves
Electromagnetic waves, patterns of electric and magnetic force.
Electromagnetism
Electromagnetism, in physics, relation between electricity and magnetism based on the facts that electric currents produce magnetic fields and magnetic fields produce electric fields.
Electromotive force
Electromotive force (emf), loosely, voltage produced by a battery generator or other source of electricity; more precisely, unit of measure of electrical energy per unit of electricity from a generator.
Electromotive series
Electromotive series, or electromechanical series, ranking of metals according to their tendency to lose electrons in chemical reactions.
Electron
Electron, elementary particle circling the nucleus of an atom.
Electron gun
Electron gun, device that produces and aims a beam of electrons to produce a visual pattern on a phosphorescent screen.
Electron microscope
Electron microscope, microscope that uses beams of electrons to produce extremely high magnifications. The optical microscope cannot produce images of objects smaller than the wavelength of the light used. But when the French physicist Victor De Broglie discovered in 1924 that electrons could behave like waves, it became apparent that streams of electrons could be manipulated to produce magnified …
Electron tube
Electron tube, device used for amplifying electrical signals or currents.
Electronic game
Electronic game, game generally featuring lights and sounds on a screen, controlled by microprocessors or tiny computers.
Electronic music
Electronic music, music composed of sounds and manipulated, created solely on electronic equipment.
Electronics
Electronics, applied science dealing with the development and behavior of devices in which the motion of electrons is controlled. It covers the behavior of electrons in gases, vacuums, conductors, and semiconductors. Its theoretical basis lies in the principles of electromagnetism and solid-state physics discovered in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Electronics began to grow in the 1920s w…
Electrophoresis
Electrophoresis, process by which components of large biological molecules are separated by being subjected to electric fields.
Electroplating
Electroplating, process by which a metal coating is produced by the action of an electric current.
Electroscope
Electroscope, instrument for detecting electrostatic charge.
Electrostatic precipitator
Electrostatic precipitator, device that removes smoke and other particles from industrial fumes.
Electrotyping
Electrotyping, method of creating reproductions of type, engravings, or etchings.
Elegy
Elegy, in classical poetry, lyric poem of alternate 2-line stanzas written in a distinctive meter.
Element
Element, in chemistry, substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by normal chemical processes. Elements are generally mixtures of different isotopes. The elements are classified by physical properties as metals, metalloids, and nonmetals, and by chemical properties and atomic structure according to the periodic table. Most elements exhibit allotropy (more than one elemental form…
Element (104)
Element 104 (unnilquadium), chemical element, symbol (Unq); for physical constants see Periodic Table.
Element (105)
Element 105, chemical element; for physical constants see Periodic Table.
Element (106)
Element 106, chemical element; for physical constants see Periodic Table.
Element (107)
Element 107, chemical element; for physical constants see Periodic Table.
Element (108)
Element 108, chemical element; for physical constants see Periodic Table.
Element (109)
Element 109, chemical element; for physical constants see Periodic Table.
Element (110)
Element 110, chemical element; for physical constants see Periodic Table.
Elementary school
Elementary school, also known as grade school or grammar school, first school in the normal sequence of public education, consisting of the first 6 to 8 grades. Many school systems designate the 7th and 8th grades as a separate junior high school. The first effort to legislate for education in America was in Massachusetts in the 1640s, when parents and masters of apprentices were directed to take …
Elephant
Elephant, largest living land animal, of which there are 2 species, the African (Loxodonta africand) and the Indian (Elephas maxima). The African elephant is the larger of the 2, standing up to 111/2 ft (3.5 m) and weighing 6 tons (5,400 kg). It has larger ears and tusks, a sloping forehead and 2 “lips” at the end of the trunk, compared with the Indian elephant's 1 “lip…
Elephant bird
Elephant bird, extinct, flightless bird (genus Aepyornis) of Madagascar.
Elephant's ear
Elephant's ear, plant of the arum family, especially Colocasia antiquorum, grown for its large ornamental leaves, which spring from a rhizome (under-ground stem).
Elephantiasis
Elephantiasis, chronic disease characterized by gross thickening of the skin or swelling of the lower limbs and external genital organs.
Eleusinian mysteries
Eleusinian mysteries, secret religious rites in ancient Greece.
Elevator
Elevator, device that transports people or goods from one floor to another in a building.
Eleventh Amendment
Eleventh Amendment See: Constitution of the United States.
Sir Edward William Elgar
Elgar, Sir Edward William (1857–1934), English composer.
Elgin Marbles
Elgin Marbles, ancient sculpture (mostly from the Acropolis) that Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin and British envoy at Constantinople (1799–1802) shipped from Athens, Greece (then a Turkish possession), to London.
Fausto Elhuyar and Juan José de
Elhuyar, Fausto and Juan José de See: Tungsten.
Elijah
Elijah, or Elias (9th century B.C.), Hebrew prophet who, according to the Book of Kings of the Old Testament, resisted pagan idol worship during the reign of Israel's King Ahab.
Elijah Muhammad
Elijah Muhammad See: Muhammad, Elijah.
Charles William Eliot
Eliot, Charles William (1834–1926), U.S. educator, president of Harvard University from 1869–1909 and editor of the original Harvard Classics series.
George Eliot
Eliot, George (Mary Ann Evans; 1819–80), English novelist.
John Eliot
Eliot, John (1604–90), Puritan clergyman.
T(homas) S(tearns) Eliot
Eliot, T(homas) S(tearns) (1888–1965), U.S.-born poet, dramatist, and critic.
Elisha
Elisha (9th century B.C.), Hebrew prophet, disciple of and successor to Elijah, whose life is described in II Kings of the Old Testament.
Elixir
Elixir, liquor sought by alchemists of the Middle Ages for turning metals into gold or prolonging life.
Elizabeth
Elizabeth, name of 2 queens of England. Elizabeth I (1533–1603) was queen of England and Ireland (1558–1603) and the last Tudor monarch. A daughter of Henry VIII, who had broken with the Catholic Church to marry Anne Boleyn, her mother, her initial task as queen was to reestablish her supremacy over the English Church after the reign of her Catholic sister, Mary I. The defeat by her …
Elizabeth
Elizabeth (1709–62), empress of Russia (1741–62), daughter of Peter the Great.
Elizabeth
Elizabeth (pop. 106,201), city in northeastern New Jersey, seat of Union County.
Queen Mother of England Elizabeth
Elizabeth, Queen Mother of England See: George.
Saint Elizabeth
Elizabeth, Saint, mother of St.
Elizabethan Age
Elizabethan Age See: Elizabeth.
Elk
Elk, large member of the deer family.
William Ellery
Ellery, William (1727–1820), U.S. political leader.
Ellesmere Island
Ellesmere Island, Canadian Arctic island off northwest Greenland, occupying about 80,000 sq mi (207,200 sqkm) and consisting of ice-capped plateaus and mountains flanked by a coastline pierced by deep fjords.
Ellice Islands
Ellice Islands See: Tuvalu.
Duke Ellington
Ellington, Duke (Edward Kennedy Ellington; 1899–1974), U.S. composer, pianist, and orchestra leader, one of the giants of jazz music.
Ellipse
Ellipse, geometrical figure shaped like a circle viewed at an angle.
(Henry) Havelock Ellis
Ellis, (Henry) Havelock (1859–1939), British writer known for his studies of human sexual behavior and psychology.
Ellis Island
Ellis Island, island of about 27 acres (10.9 hectares) in upper New York Bay, within the boundaries of New York City.
Ralph Waldo Ellison
Ellison, Ralph Waldo (1914–94), African-American writer.
Lincoln Ellsworth
Ellsworth, Lincoln (1880–1951), U.S. explorer and scientist.
Oliver Ellsworth
Ellsworth, Oliver (1745–1807), chief justice of the U.S.
Elm
Elm, deciduous tree (genus Ulmus) common to North America, Europe, and parts of Asia.
Mischa Elman
Elman, Mischa (1891–1967), Russian-born U.S. violinist.
Elodea
Elodea, any of several underwater plants of the genus Elodea, some living in salt water, others in fresh water.
Elohim
Elohim, most common name for God used in the Old Testament.
Elzevir
Elzevir, family of Dutch printers and publishers.
Emancipation Proclamation
Emancipation Proclamation, decree issued by President Abraham Lincoln on Jan. 1, 1863, abolishing slavery in the rebelling Confederate states.
Embalming
Embalming, artificial process by which a corpse is prevented, at least temporarily, from decomposing.
Embargo
Embargo, government detention of ships to prevent their departure from a port.
Embargo act
Embargo act, in U.S. history, statute prohibiting trade with other nations, usually for diplomatic reasons.
Embezzlement
Embezzlement, crime involving someone legally entrusted with property belonging to another who takes it for personal use.
Embolism
Embolism, presence of substances other than liquid blood in the blood circulation, causing obstruction in arteries or interfering with the pumping of the heart.
Embossing
Embossing, mechanical reproduction, by pressure, of designs and patterns in relief on various materials, such as metal, leather, fabrics, cardboard, and paper.
Embroidery
Embroidery, decorations on fabric produced by stitching with a needle and colored thread.
Embryo
Embryo, name for the young of plants or animals at the earliest stage of development, after fertilization. In seed-bearing plants, the term applies to the stage before the plant emerges from its seed. In egg-laying animals, it refers to the period before hatching. In mammals, the embryonic stage lasts until the creature's basic body shape and organs are formed, at which point it is called a…
Embryology
Embryology, study of the development of embryos of animals and humans, based on anatomical specimens of embryos at different periods of gestation, obtained from animals or from human abortion.
Emerald
Emerald, valuable green gemstone, a variety of the mineral beryl.
Emerald Isle
Emerald Isle, poetic name for Ireland, probably based on the predominant green color of the Irish landscape.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Emerson, Ralph Waldo (1803–82), U.S. philosophical essayist, poet, and lecturer.
Emery
Emery, naturally occurring impure form of corundum containing iron oxides and other minerals.
Emetic
Emetic, substance used to induce vomiting.
Emin Pasha
Emin Pasha (Eduard Schnitzer; 1840–92), physician and explorer.
Eminent domain
Eminent domain, in the United States, government's inherent right to take private property for public use without the owner's consent.
Daniel Decatur Emmet
Emmet, Daniel Decatur (1815–1904), U.S. songwriter and minstrel show entertainer.
Emotion
Emotion, state of both body and mind consisting of a subjective feeling that is either pleasant or unpleasant but never neutral, accompanied by expressive behavior or posture and by physiological changes.
Empedocles
Empedocles (c.495–c.435 B.C.), Greek philosopher who lived in Sicily.
Emphysema
Emphysema, disease marked by the enlargement of the air sacs in the lungs, which interferes with breathing.
Empire State Building
Empire State Building, office building in New York City.
Empire style
Empire style, French neoclassical style in architecture, interior decoration, and furniture design that peaked during the Napoleonic empire (1804–14).
Empiricism
Empiricism, philosophical theory that regards experience, mental or physical, as the only source of knowledge.
Employee benefits
Employee benefits See: Pension; Profit sharing.
Employee Stock Ownership Plan
Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), program allowing workers to own part of the stock in a company.
Employment agencies
Employment agencies, privately or publicly owned organizations that help workers find employment and employers to find workers.
United States Employment Service
Employment Service, United States, agency of the U.S.
Emu
Emu, flightless, ostrichlike bird (Dromiceius novaehollandiae) of Australia, having long, coarse feathers that hide its wings.
Emulsion
Emulsion, preparation of minute drops of one liquid dispersed evenly throughout another liquid. Each liquid is called a phase. One phase is usually water or an aqueous solution, and the other phase is usually an oil or other immiscible liquid. An emulsion consisting of oil droplets dispersed in water, called an oil-in-water emulsion, has properties like those of water, although an oil-in-water emu…
Enabling act
Enabling act, legislation giving special powers to individuals or groups.
Enamel
Enamel, vitreous (glasslike) glaze fused on metal for decoration and protection.
Encephalitis
Encephalitis, inflammation of the brain and spinal cord.
Encephalograph
Encephalograph See: Electroencephalograph.
Encomienda
Encomienda, labor system imposed by the Spanish in South America in the 16th century.
Encounter group
Encounter group See: Sensitivity training.
Encyclical
Encyclical, letter from the Pope to the bishops of the Roman Catholic Church.
Encyclopedia
Encyclopedia, reference work that summarizes all knowledge or a particular branch of knowledge in a series of articles arranged alphabetically or by subject.
Endangered species
Endangered species See: Wildlife conservation.
John Endecott
Endecott, John (c.1589–1665), governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
Enderby Land
Enderby Land, western region of Antarctica extending from Ice Bay to Edward VIII Bay.
John Franklin Enders
Enders, John Franklin (1897–1985), U.S. microbiologist who shared the 1954 Nobel Prize for physiology or medicine with F.C.
Endive
Endive, leafy plant (Cichorium endivia) of the composite family, of the same genus as chicory.
Endocrine gland
Endocrine gland See: Gland; Hormone.
Endocrine system
Endocrine system, ductless glands that secrete chemicals called hormones, which regulate body functions.
Endometriosis
Endometriosis, condition in which tissue resembling the mucous membrane of the uterus—the endometrium—is present abnormally in various locations in the pelvic cavity.
Endorphins
Endorphins, proteins produced by the pituitary gland (at the base of the brain) inhibiting certain brain cells from transmitting impulses and thereby blocking or reducing the sensation of pain.
Endymion
Endymion, in Greek mythology, youthful lover of the goddess Selene.
Energy
Energy, in physics, the capacity to do work. There are various forms of energy. Kinetic energy is the energy of motion, and is equal to one-half the mass of the moving body multiplied by the square of its velocity (1/2mv3). Potential energy is the energy a body possesses by virtue of its position. A body raised to a certain height, h, for example, has a potential energy equal to its mass multiplie…
Energy supply
Energy supply, total amount of energy available, from all sources, including fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas), water power, nuclear energy, solar energy, wind power, etc.
U.S. Department of Energy
Energy, U.S.
Enewetak
Enewetak, or Eniwetok, atoll in the central Pacific Ocean, at the northwestern end of the Marshall Islands, a U.S.
Friedrich Engels
Engels, Friedrich (1820–95), German socialist, philosopher, and associate of Karl Marx, with whom he founded modern communism. Born into a wealthy family, he went to England in 1842 to work in his father's textile mill. There he wrote his first major work, The Condition of the Working Class in England in 1844 (published 1845). Engels became a socialist as a result of his exposure to …
Engine
Engine, machine that transforms energy into useful mechanical work. The most familiar engines are heat engines, which transform heat energy, obtained by burning fuel, into a force that turns wheels, propellers, turbines, and so on. Other types of engines include hydroelectric plants, which use the energy of falling water to spin rotors that generate electricity, and windmills, which harness the en…
Engine analyzer
Engine analyzer, instrument that analyzes the performance of an automobile engine.
Engineering
Engineering, applied science devoted to the design and construction of machinery and transportation and communications networks.
Army Corps of Engineers
Engineers, Army Corps of, technical and combatant corps of the U.S. army, performing tasks of civil as well as military construction and projects such as harbors, waterways, airfields, and missile bases.
England
England, largest of the four countries that make up the United Kingdom of Great Britain.
English Channel
English Channel, arm of the Atlantic Ocean separating Great Britain and France.
English cocker spaniel
English cocker spaniel, breed of sporting dog, most popular as a pet.
English foxhound
English foxhound, breed of hound dog with a short, glossy coat, bred to follow the scent left by a fox.
English horn
English horn, musical instrument, in the oboe family, somewhat larger than a standard oboe.
English language
English language, native language of more than 400 million people in the United States, the British Isles, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. English belongs to the Germanic branch of the Indo-European family of languages and is most closely related to Dutch, Flemish, and German. Old English originated when the languages of the Angle and Saxon tribes replaced those of the native Bri…
English literature
English literature, poetry, prose, and drama written by authors from the British Isles, primarily England, Scotland, and Wales, and, to a certain extent, Ireland. English literature mirrors the development of the English language and is inextricably bound up with the country's history, politics, and social developments. Old English (OE) is the form of English spoken by the tribes of Angles,…
English setter
English setter, breed of sporting dog, with silky coats and long hairs (feathers) on their legs and tails.
English sparrow
English sparrow, or house sparrow, bird (Passer domesticus) of the weaverbird family.
English springer spaniel
English springer spaniel, breed of sporting dog, the original hunting spaniel, popular with Renaissance hunters.
English toy spaniel
English toy spaniel, small dog, originally bred in Asia, which became popular with the English aristocracy in the 17th century.
Engraving
Engraving, art of cutting lines in wood, metal, or some other material to produce writing, ornamental designs, or illustrations.
Enid
Enid (pop. 56,735), town in northwestern Oklahoma, originally a stopping place on the Chisholm Trail in the 1800s, now the fourth largest wheat storage space in the world.
Eniwetok
Eniwetok See: Enewetak.
Enlightenment
Enlightenment See: Age of Reason.
Quintus Ennius
Ennius, Quintus (239–169 B.C.), classical Roman poet.
James Sydney Ensor Baron
Ensor, James Sydney, Baron (1860–1949), Belgian painter whose bizarre, sometimes macabre canvases were influenced by Hieronymus Bosch and Pieter Bruegel and anticipated surrealism.
Triple Entente
Entente, Triple See: Triple Entente.
Entomology
Entomology, study of insects, of which there are more species than of any other animal.
Entropy
Entropy, in thermodynamics, the amount of disorder in a system.
Environment
Environment, total of affecting or influencing circumstances surrounding an organism's growth and development.
Environmental impact statement
Environmental impact statement, report on the possible environmental effects of a proposed construction project.
Environmental pollution
Environmental pollution, contamination of the air, land and water caused by human products.
Environmental Protection Agency
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), independent agency of the U.S. government established in Dec. 1970 to centralize government programs related to control of environmental pollution.
Enzyme
Enzyme, any of the more than 1,000 proteins that act as catalysts in chemical reactions in life processes.
EPA
EPA See: Environmental Protection Agency.
Ephedrine
Ephedrine, mild, nonaddictive drug used in the treatment of asthma, hay fever, and other allergies.
Epistle to the Ephesians
Ephesians, Epistle to the, New Testament book attributed to the apostle Paul.
Ephesus
Ephesus, ancient Greek city in Asia Minor, in what is now Turkey.
Epic
Epic, long narrative poem concerned with heroism.
Epic theater
Epic theater, form of revolutionary theater developed in the late 1920s by Erwin Piscator and Bertolt Brecht, emphasizing the narrative and political aspects of staged events.
Epictetus
Epictetus (c.A.D. 55–135), Greek Stoic philosopher.
Epicurus
Epicurus (341–270 B.C.), Greek philosopher, founder of epicureanism, which is named after him.
Epidaurus
Epidaurus, ancient Greek city about 40 mi (54 km) southwest of Athens.
Epidemic
Epidemic, outbreak of a disease in a given area affecting a large number of people.
Epidemiology
Epidemiology, study of epidemics, diseases that affect large numbers of people.
Epigram
Epigram, short, pithy saying in verse or prose, often with a satirical turn.
Epilepsy
Epilepsy, brain disorder characterized by susceptibility to seizures and convulsions that can cause loss of consciousness and muscle control.
Epinephrine
Epinephrine, or adrenalin, hormone secreted by the adrenal glands.
Epiphany
Epiphany (from Greek epiphania, “manifestation”), Christian feast held annually on Jan. 6 to celebrate Jesus's baptism, the visit of the 3 wise men to the manger in Bethlehem, and the transformation of water into wine at Cana.
Epiphyte
Epiphyte, or airplant, plant that grows on another but that does not obtain food from it.
Protestant Episcopal Church
Episcopal Church, Protestant, U.S.
Epistemology
Epistemology (from Greek episteme, “knowledge”), branch of philosophy that inquires about the sources of human knowledge, its possible limits, and to what extent it can be certain or only probable.
Epistle
Epistle, special, formal letter in the New Testament of the Bible.
Epithelioma
Epithelioma, tumor of the epithelium.
Epithelium
Epithelium, tissue covering external surfaces of the body, such as the skin, and lining various bodily tubes and cavities.
Epsom salts
Epsom salts, common name for magnesium sulfate, so called because it was first found at Epsom, England.
Epstein-Barr (EB) virus
Epstein-Barr (EB) virus, herpes virus that causes several diseases in humans.
Sir Jacob Epstein
Epstein, Sir Jacob (1880–1959), U.S. sculptor, living in London, whose controversial early work was influenced by African sculpture, Constantin Brancusi, and Auguste Rodin.
Equal Rights Amendment
Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), proposed Constitutional amendment prohibiting discrimination on grounds of sex.
Equation
Equation, statement of equality. Mathematical equations are often expressed in algebraic notation, where known and unknown quantities can be represented by symbols. Notations of branches of mathematics such as differential calculus or logic can also be used to represent relationships of equality. Other disciplines have created shorthand notations representing equalities, as in chemistry, where che…
Equator
Equator, imaginary great-circle line around the earth equidistant from the North and South poles.
Equatorial Guinea
Equatorial Guinea, republic in west-central Africa, formerly a Spanish colony, independent since 1973.
Equatorial Islands
Equatorial Islands See: Line Islands.
chemical Equilibrium
Equilibrium, chemical, condition in which a chemical reaction and its reverse reaction are taking place at equal velocities, so that the overall concentrations of reacting substances remain constant.
Equinox
Equinox (1) either of the 2 times each year when day and night are of equal length.
Equity
Equity, in law, group of rules and principles arising in the English Chancery Court to compensate for the rigidity of common law.
ERA
ERA See: Equal Rights Amendment.