Sour gum
Sour gum See: Tupelo.
21st Century Webster's Family Encyclopedia - Sour gum to Stereotyping
Sourwood
Sourwood, or sorrel tree, ornamental deciduous tree (Oxydendrum arboreum) of the heath family.
John Philip Sousa
Sousa, John Philip (1854–1932), U.S. bandmaster and composer.
David Hackett Souter
Souter, David Hackett (1939– ), associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (1990– ).
South Africa
South Africa, independent republic occupying most of the southern tip of the African continent. South Africa covers 471,320 sq mi (1,221,037 sq km). It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on the west, the Indian Ocean on the east and south, Namibia to the northwest, Botswana and Zimbabwe to the north, and Mozambique and Swaziland to the northeast. Geographically, South Africa is a vast system of pla…
South America
South America, southern of the 2 continents comprising the Western Hemisphere. South America is separated from North America at the Isthmus of Panama. Covering an area of 6,880,000 sq mi (17,819,000 sq km), South America contains the 12 independent republics of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela. There also remains one Eur…
Federation of South Arabia
South Arabia, Federation of, previously an English protectorate of the crown colony of Aden and several Arab states including Alawi, Aqrabi, Audhali, Upper and Lower Aulaqi, Fadhli, Haushabi, Lahej, Mufhahi, Shaibi, Wahidi, and Lower Yafa.
South Australia
South Australia, state in south-central Australia, with an area of 380,070 sq mi (984,381 sq km).
South Bend
South Bend (pop. 247,052), city in northern Indiana, seat of St.
South Carolina
South Carolina, state in the southeastern United States; bordered by North Carolina to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, and Georgia to the southwest. South Carolina has 3 main land regions. The Blue Ridge, a narrow region in the state's northwestern corner, is part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which extend into the state. The Piedmont covers most of northwestern South Carolin…
South Dakota
South Dakota, midwestern state in north-central United States; bordered by North Dakota to the north, Minnesota and the Big Sioux River (with Iowa on the other side) to the east, the Missouri River and Nebraska to the south, and Wyoming and Montana to the west. The geographic center of the United States is in South Dakota, near Castle Rock. South Dakota has 4 main land regions. The Black Hills, a …
South Island
South Island See: New Zealand.
South Korea
South Korea See: Korea.
South Pole
South Pole, point in Antarctica through which passes the earth's axis of rotation.
South Vietnam
South Vietnam See: Vietnam.
South West Africa
South West Africa See: Namibia.
South Yemen
South Yemen See: Yemen.
Southampton
Southampton (pop. 208,100), English seaport city, on the River Test, near the English Channel.
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, region of Asia south of the southernmost boundaries of China and India, including Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO)
Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO), defense treaty signed by Australia, France, Great Britain, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand, and United States after France withdrew from Indochina in 1954.
Southern Baptist Convention
Southern Baptist Convention, largest Baptist association.
Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)
Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), U.S. civil rights organization.
Southern Cross
Southern Cross, or Crux, constellation visible in the Southern Hemisphere, defined by 4 stars in the shape of a cross.
Sovereignty
Sovereignty, ultimate political power in a state.
Soviet
Soviet (from Russian sovet, “council”), the fundamental political unit of the former USSR.
Soviet Union
Soviet Union See: Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
Sow bug
Sow bug See: Wood louse.
Soybean
Soybean (Glycine soja or Glycine max), annual legume that is one of the best sources of complete protein, as well as being a good source of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and virtually all other minerals, plus vitamins A, B, and C and lecithin.
Soyer brothers
Soyer brothers, family name of 2 U.S. artists.
Wole Soyinka
Soyinka, Wole (1934– ), Nigerian writer, first African to win a Nobel Prize in literature (1986).
Paul Henri Spaak
Spaak, Paul Henri (1899–1972), Belgium's first Socialist premier (1938–39, 1946, 1947–50), and deputy premier (1961–65).
Carl Spaatz
Spaatz, Carl (1891–1974), U.S.
Space
Space See: Space exploration.
Space exploration
On Feb. 20, 1962, John Glenn orbited the earth 3 times in the first Mercury craft to be boosted by an Atlas rocket. The next Soviet mission, in June 1963, involved 2 craft. Piloting Vostok 5, Valery Bykovsky set the 1-person endurance record with a 5-day mission; and piloting Vostok 6, Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman cosmonaut. Aleksei Leonov completed the first space walk in Mar. 1965…
Space shuttle
Space shuttle See: Space exploration.
Space station
Space station See: Space exploration.
Space telescope
Space telescope See: Hubble Space Telescope.
Space-time
Space-time, concept of the physical universe arising from Einstein's special theory of relativity.
Spacecraft
Spacecraft See: Space exploration.
Warren Spahn
Spahn, Warren (1921– ), U.S. baseball player.
Richard Dobbs Spaight
Spaight, Richard Dobbs (1758–1802), North Carolina legislator and a signer of the U.S.
Spain
Spain, country occupying about four-fifths of the Iberian Peninsula south of the Pyrenees in southwestern Europe. Including the Balearic and Canary islands, Spain covers 194,898 sq mi (504,783 sq km). Peninsular Spain is bounded on the north by the Bay of Biscay. On the northeast, the Pyrenees mark the borders with France and Andorra. On the west, Spain is bounded by Portugal and the Atlantic Ocea…
Spaniel
Spaniel, one of a large family of sporting dogs, probably descended from a Spanish dog, hence the name.
Spanish
Spanish, Romance language spoken by about 341 million people, primarily in Spain and Latin America.
Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War (1898), fought between the United States and Spain, initially over the conduct of Spanish colonial authorities in Cuba. Strong anti-Spanish feeling was fomented in the United States by stories of the cruel treatment meted out to Cuban rebels and the hardships suffered by U.S. business interests. Though President Grover Cleveland took no action, his successor, President William…
Spanish Armada
Spanish Armada, naval fleet from Spain that attacked England in 1588.
Spanish bayonet
Spanish bayonet, plant in the agave family, of the genus Yucca.
Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War (1936–39), one of the most violent and bloody conflicts in Spanish history, between the liberal second republic and conservative forces in Spain.
Spanish fly
Spanish fly, beetle found mainly in southern Europe.
Spanish Inquisition
Spanish Inquisition See: Inquisition; Torquemada, Tomás de.
Spanish literature
Printing was introduced to Spain c. 1473. The first book to set forth the rules of a European language, Castilian Grammar, by Antonio de Nebrija, was published in 1492. Other prose works such as Diego de San Pedro's The Prison of Love (1492) and a book of chivalry, Tirant lo Blanch (1490) appeared at this time. A novel about chivalry, Amadis of Gaul, was the masterpiece of the period. La Ce…
Spanish Main
Spanish Main, former name of the north Caribbean coast of South America, from Panama to the Orinoco River in Venezuela.
Spanish moss
Spanish moss, or Florida moss, epiphyte (Tillandsia usneoides) that can be found festooning trees, such as oaks and cypresses, and even telephone poles and wires in the southeastern United States.
War of the Spanish Succession
Spanish Succession, War of the (1701–14), conflict between France and the Grand Alliance of England, the Netherlands, Austria, and the smaller states of the Holy Roman Empire over control of the Spanish Empire.
Muriel Spark
Spark, Muriel (1918– ), Scottish writer best known for her witty, often satirical novels, including Memento Mori (1959), The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1961; later a play and film), The Mandelbaum Gate (1965), Loitering with Intent (1981), Curiculum Vitae (1992), and Reality and Dreams (1996).
Jared Sparks
Sparks, Jared (1789–1866), U.S. historian best known for Writings of George Washington (12 vols., 1834–37).
Sparrow
Sparrow, gregarious, seed-eating bird of the subfamily Passerinae of the weaver-bird family.
Sparrowhawk
Sparrowhawk, name for small birds of prey (genus Accipiter).
Sparta
Sparta, or Lacedaemon, city of ancient Greece, capital of Laconia in the Peloponnesus, on the Eurotas River.
Spartacus
Spartacus (d.71 B.C.), leader of the Gladiators' War, a slave revolt against ancient Rome (73–71 B.C.).
Spastic paralysis
Spastic paralysis, form of paralysis due to disease of the brain (e.g., stroke) or spinal cord (e.g., multiple sclerosis), in which the affected muscles are in a state of constantly increased tone (or resting contraction).
Speaker
Speaker, in U.S. government, officer presiding in the U.S.
Tristram E. Speaker
Speaker, Tristram E. (1888–1958), U.S. baseball player.
Spear
Spear, weapon on which a point tops a long shank.
Spearfishing
Spearfishing, sport in which fish are caught underwater with the use of spears.
Spearmint
Spearmint, herb in the mint family.
Special education
Special education, instruction designed for the special needs of certain students, both gifted and handicapped.
Special effects
Special effects, in cinema, technique developed to enhance visual illusion, especially important in “disaster movies” and ambitious science fiction films, such as Star Wars.
Special Olympics
Special Olympics, international sporting program designed for participation by mentally retarded people.
Species
Species See: Classification.
Specific heat
Specific heat, warmth required to raise the temperature of 1 kg (2.2 lb) of a substance through 1 kelvin; measured by calorimetry.
Spectrometer
Spectrometer, tool that analyzes an object through a spectrum of light.
Spectrum
Spectrum, array of light in the form of different colors produced when a ray of plain white light passes through a prism by a process known as dispersion.
Speculation
Speculation, practice of entering into business transactions in order to make a quick profit from an anticipated substantial price fluctuation.
Speech and speech disorders
Speech and speech disorders, communication through spoken words and the impairments of this ability. Speech can be subdivided into conception, or formulation, and production, or phonation and articulation. Speech development in children starts with associating sounds with persons and objects, comprehension usually predating vocalization by some months. Nouns are developed first, often with 1 or 2 …
Speech therapy
Speech therapy, detection and correction of speech problems.
Speed
Speed See: Methamphetamine.
Speed reading
Speed reading, mastery of reading material in terms of both speed and comprehension.
Speedometer
Speedometer, instrument for indicating the speed of a motor vehicle.
Speedwriting
Speedwriting, writing method that uses the letters of the alphabet in a shortened form.
Albert Speer
Speer, Albert (1905–81), German architect and Nazi leader.
Speleology
Speleology, scientific study of caves.
Spelling
Spelling, often referred to as orthography, manner in which letters represent words in writing.
Anna Garlin Spencer
Spencer, Anna Garlin (1851–1931), U.S. religious and political leader, educator, and author, especially in the field of women's rights.
Herbert Spencer
Spencer, Herbert (1820–1903), English philosopher, social theorist, and early evolutionist.
Sir Stephen Harold Spender
Spender, Sir Stephen Harold (1909–95), English poet and critic, coeditor of the literary magazine Encounter (1953–65).
Edmund Spenser
Spenser, Edmund (1552?–99), English poet.
Sperm
Sperm See: Reproduction.
Sperm whale
Sperm whale, family of toothed whales, with 2 species: the cachalot (Physeter catodon) and pigmy sperm whale (Kogia breviceps).
Elmer Ambrose Sperry
Sperry, Elmer Ambrose (1860–1930), U.S. inventor and manufacturer.
Sphagnum moss
Sphagnum moss See: Peat moss.
Sphalerite
Sphalerite, also called zinc blende, zinc ore and sulfur ore.
Sphere
Sphere, surface produced by the rotation of a circle through 180° about one of its diameters.
Sphinx
Sphinx, mythical monster of the ancient Middle East, in Egypt portrayed as a lion with a human head and used as a symbol of the pharaoh.
Sphinx moth
Sphinx moth See: Hawk moth.
Spice
Spice, one of a large number of aromatic plant products that have a distinctive flavor or aroma and are used to season food.
Spider
Spider, any of an order (Araneida) of arachnids, with a body of 2 main parts, 4 pairs of legs, and 4 pairs of eyes.
Spider monkey
Spider monkey, slender, pot-bellied monkey found in the forests of central and northern South America.
Spiderwort
Spiderwort, or Job's tears, family of plants found in the tropical and temperate Americas and cultivated as house plants.
Steven Spielberg
Spielberg, Steven (1947– ), U.S. film director, writer, and producer.
Spikenard
Spikenard, flowering plant in the Valerianaeceae family (Nardostachys jatamansi) or in the ginseng family (Aralia racemosa).
Spina bifida
Spina bifida, congenital deformity in which a fissure in the lower part of the spine allows the spinal membranes to protrude.
Spinach
Spinach (Spinacia oleracea), leafy annual plant widely cultivated as an edible vegetable.
Spinal cord and spinal nerves
Spinal cord and spinal nerves, that part of the central nervous system contained within the spinal column and extending from the skull to the level of the first or second lumbar vertebra; the nerve structures and nerve pathways within the vertebral canal, extending from the skull opening to the second lumbar vertebra.
Spinal tap
Spinal tap, or lumbar puncture, procedure to remove cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from the lumbar spinal canal using a fine needle.
Spine
Spine, spinal column orvertebral cord, vertical structure of bone, nerves and nerve fibers, ligaments, and cartilage that act as a skeletal support and transmission center for the nervous system in vertebrate animals.
Spinning
Spinning, craft of twisting together fibers from a mass to form strong, continuous thread suitable for weaving. The earliest method was merely to roll the fibers between hand and thigh. Later 2 sticks were used: the distaff to hold the bundle of fibers, and a spindle to twist and wind the yarn. Mechanization began with the spinning wheel, which was invented in India and spread to Europe by the 14t…
Baruch Spinoza or Benedict de
Spinoza, Baruch, or Benedict de (1632–77), Dutch philosopher who held that God is nature or all that is, an interpretation that brought him expulsion from the Amsterdam Jewish community.
Spiny anteater
Spiny anteater See: Echidna.
Spiraea
Spiraea, any of several shrubs with tall clusters of pink or white flowers.
Spirit of ' (76)
Spirit of '76, popular image of the American Revolution, depicted in a painting by Archibald M.
Spiritual
Spiritual, form of emotional, often sorrowful, religious folk song using syncopation, a variety of rhythms, and the pentatonic scale (5 whole tones).
Spiritualism
Spiritualism, belief in the survival of the human personality after death and its ability to communicate with those left behind, usually through a medium.
Spitz
Spitz, family of dogs, distinguished by their thick, long coats, curly tails, and pointed ears.
Spleen
Spleen, spongy vascular organ between the stomach and diaphragm on the left side of the abdomen.
Split
Split (pop. 189,400), city in Croatia, in the southwestern region of Dalmatia on the Adriatic Sea; known as Spalato in Italian.
Benjamin McLane Spock
Spock, Benjamin McLane (1903–98), known as “Dr.
Spode
Spode, British family of potters.
Spoils system
Spoils system, use of appointments to public offices to reward supporters of a victorious political party.
Spokane
Spokane (pop. 173,000), city in Washington state, located on the Spokane River, about 15 mi (24 km) west of the Idaho border.
Sponge
Sponge, primitive animal of both marine and fresh water.
Spontaneous combustion
Spontaneous combustion, or spontaneous ignition, phenomenon in which material suddenly bursts into flame without apparent cause but resulting from a slow build-up of heat.
Spontaneous generation
Spontaneous generation, or abiogenesis, theory that living creatures can arise from nonliving matter.
Spoonbill
Spoonbill, bird in the ibis family.
Spore
Spore, minute single- or multicelled body produced during the process of reproduction of many plants, particularly bacteria, algae and fungi, and some protozoa.
Sports
Sports, organized athletic events in which people are either participants or spectators.
Sports medicine
Sports medicine, area of medical practice based on the effects of sports on the human body.
Spot
Spot, fish in the croaker family.
Rocky Mountain Spotted fever
Spotted fever, Rocky Mountain, see: Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
Spotted Tail
Spotted Tail (Sioux: Sinte-galeshka; 1823?–81), Brulé Sioux leader.
Frank Julian Sprague
Sprague, Frank Julian (1857–1934), U.S. inventor and engineer of the high-speed electric elevator and the electric railroad system, including that now used in the New York City subway.
Sprain
Sprain, injury to a ligament (which connects bone to bone in a joint). The symptoms are rapid swelling and inflammation and some initial pain and stiffness around a joint. Swelling and pain seem worse 24 to 48 hours after injury occurs. Discoloration and limitation in motion and function may also take place. A ligament is like a rope that, when stretched beyond resting length, is susceptible to in…
Sprat
Sprat (Clupea sprattus), small marine food fish of the herring family native to coastal waters of Europe.
Spring
Spring, mechanical device that exhibits elasticity according to Hooke's Law.
Spring
Spring, in geology, naturally occurring flow of water from the ground.
Spring beauty
Spring beauty, wild flowers in the purslane family.
Springbok
Springbok, animal in the cattle family, also called springbuck.
Springer spaniel
Springer spaniel See: Spaniel.
Springfield
Springfield (pop. 189,550), capital of Illinois.
Springfield
Springfield (pop. 529,519), city in Massachusetts.
Springfield
Springfield (pop. 240,593), city in southwestern Missouri, the seat of Greene County.
Springfield
Springfield (pop. 70,487), city in west-central Ohio, on the Mad River about 45 mi (72.5 km) west of Columbus.
Springhare
Springhare, or springhaas (Pedetes capensis), small, nocturnal, herbivorous rodent of eastern and southern Africa, resembling a rabbit with a long tail but belonging to the family Pedetidae.
Bruce Springsteen
Springsteen, Bruce (1949– ), U.S. rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist, known as “The Boss.” He has performed with his E Street Band since the early 1970s, recording such albums as Born to Run (1975, Born in the U.S.A. (1984), which sold 15 million copies, Human Touch (1992), and The Ghost of Tom Joad (1995).
Raymond Ames Spruance
Spruance, Raymond Ames (1886–1969), U.S. naval officer known for victories in the Pacific theater during World War II under the command of Admiral Chester W.
Spruce
Spruce, evergreen coniferous tree of the genus Picea, with a conical form.
Spruce budworm
Spruce budworm, destructive insect in the Tortricidae family.
Spurge family
Spurge family, group of plants that include herbs, shrubs, and trees that grow mainly in tropical climates throughout the world.
Sputnik
Sputnik, series of unmanned satellites launched by the Soviet Union.
Squanto
Squanto (d.1622), Native American of the Pawtuxet tribe, who befriended the newly arrived settlers of the Plymouth colony, acting as their interpreter in dealing with the powerful chief Massasoit and teaching them how to grown corn.
Square dancing
Square dancing, popular, lively U.S. folk dance in which 4 couples formed in a square carry out steps and formations under the direction of a caller.
Square Deal
Square Deal, policy of Theodore Roosevelt when, as presidential candidate (1912), he sought to reconcile the demands of both workers and industrialists.
Squash
Squash, any of several edible plants in the Cucurbitaceae family.
Squash
Squash, game played on a 4-walled court with a small, hard-rubber ball and 27-in (68-cm) rackets.
Squeteague
Squeteague See: Weakfish.
Squid
Squid, shell-less cephalopod mollusk, order Teuthoidea.
Squill
Squill, plant in the lily family.
Squire
Squire See: Knights and knighthood.
Squirrel
Squirrel, member of one of the largest families, Sciuridae, of rodents.
Squirrel monkey
Squirrel monkey, primate of the New World monkey family, Cebidae.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, formerly Ceylon, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, independent island republic in the Indian Ocean. Sri Lanka is separated from southeastern India by the Gulf of Mannar, Palk Strait, and Adam's Bridge, a 30-mi (48-km)-chain of shoals. With an area of 24,879 sq mi (64,454 sq km), Sri Lanka extends 270 mi (435 km) north to south and 140 mi (225 km) east to …
Madame de Staël
Staël, Madame de (Anne Louise Germaine Necker; 1766–1817), French-Swiss novelist and critic, celebrated personality, and liberal opponent of Napoleon I's regime.
Jean Stafford
Stafford, Jean (1915–79), U.S. author noted for her sensitive, well-crafted novels and short stories.
Staffordshire bull terrier
Staffordshire bull terrier, also known as pit bull terrier, breed of dog.
Stag beetle
Stag beetle, also called pinching bug, beetle in the Lucanidae family.
Stained glass
Stained glass, pieces of colored glass held in place by a framework usually of lead strips, to form patterns or pictures in a window. The earliest Western windows date from the 5th century, but the art reached its highest development in the period of Gothic architecture (1150–1500): The series of windows made (1200–40) for the cathedral at Chartres is a well-known example. Huge circu…
Stainless steel
Stainless steel, corrosion-resistant steel containing more than 10% chromium, little carbon, and often nickel and other metals.
Stalactite
Stalactite, and stalagmite, rocky structures found in limestone caves.
Joseph Stalin
Stalin, Joseph (Josif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili; 1879–1953), ruler of the Soviet Union from 1924 until his death. A Georgian village shoemaker's son intended for the priesthood, he joined the Georgian Social Democratic Party in 1901. In 1912 V. I. Lenin placed him on the Bolshevik central committee. (Around this time he took the name Stalin, “man of steel.”) After the…
Stalingrad
Stalingrad See: Volgograd.
Battle of Stalingrad
Stalingrad, Battle of, decisive engagement in World War II, fought in the vicinity of Stalingrad (since 1961, Volgograd) from Aug. 1942 to Feb. 1943.
Stalino
Stalino See: Donetsk.
Stamford
Stamford (pop. 102,466), U.S. city in Connecticut.
Stamp Act
Stamp Act (1765), first direct tax imposed by the English Parliament on the 13 North American colonies.
Stamp collecting
Stamp collecting, or philately, popular worldwide hobby.
Stamp weed
Stamp weed See: Indian mallow.
Standard of living
Standard of living, statistical measure that attempts to rate the quality of life in a nation or a group in terms of its level of consumption of food, clothing, and other basic goods and services, including transportation, education, and medical care.
Standard Poor's indexes
Standard & Poor's indexes, U.S. stock market statistics prepared by the Standard & Poor's Corporation.
Standard schnauzer
Standard schnauzer, breed of dog originally from Bavaria, Germany, in the 15th century.
Standard time
Standard time, time kept in the time zones of the world.
Miles Standish
Standish, Miles (15847–1656), English passenger on the Mayflower and colonist.
Stanford-Binet test
Stanford-Binet test, adaptation of the Stanford Revision of the Binet-Simon Intelligence Tests introduced by Lewis Madison Terman (1916; 2d revision, 1937), and used primarily to determine the Intelligence Quotient (IQ) of children.
Stanford University
Stanford University, leading U.S. educational and research center.
Konstantin Stanislavski
Stanislavski, Konstantin (Konstantin Sergeyevich Alekseyev; 1863–1938), Russian-born stage director, teacher, and author.
Stanley brothers
Stanley brothers, U.S. inventors and twins; Francis Edgar Stanley (1849–1918) and Freeland Oscar Stanley (1849–1940).
Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup, trophy presented annually to the winner of the National Hockey League (NHL) postseason playoffs.
Stanley and Livingstone
Stanley and Livingstone, British explorers in Afica. David Livingstone (1813–73) traveled to southern Africa as a missionary and remained on the continent for the rest of his life. His interest in geography ignited a coast-to-coast journey in which he followed the Zambezi River (1853–56). Victoria Falls was named by him, the first European to see it (1855). He met Henry Morton Stanle…
Edwin McMasters Stanton
Stanton, Edwin McMasters (1814–69), U.S. politician, secretary of war during the Civil War (1862–68), and important ally of the Radical Republicans during Reconstruction.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Stanton, Elizabeth Cady (1815–1902), U.S.abolitionist and feminist.
Staphylococcus
Staphylococcus, bacterium responsible for numerous skin, soft tissue, and bone infections, less often causing septicemia, pneumonia, bacterial endocarditis, and enterocolitis.
Star
Star, large incandescent ball of gases held together by its own gravity. The sun is a fairly normal star in its composition, parameters, and color. It is believed that stars originate as condensations out of interstellar matter. In certain circumstances a protostar will form, slowly contracting under its own gravity, part of the energy from this contraction being radiated, the remainder heating up…
Star-of-Bethlehem
Star-of-Bethlehem, flower in the lily family.
Star Chamber
Star Chamber, in early English history, meeting room for the King's advisors.
Star of David
Star of David, known also as Shield of David, symbol of Judaism and the state of Israel.
Star-spangled Banner
Star-spangled Banner, U.S. national anthem, officially adopted by an act of Congress in 1931.
Star Wars
Star Wars See: Strategic Defense Initiative.
Starbuck Island
Starbuck Island, South Pacific island.
Starch
Starch, white, odorless carbohydrate powder, essential to both plants and animals as a source of energy (it is converted to glucose when needed).
Starfish
Starfish, member of a class, Asteroidea, of star-shaped marine echinoderms, with 5-fold symmetry.
Johannes Stark
Stark, Johannes (1874–1957), German physicist who received the Nobel Prize (1919) for his discovery that light was uniquely affected by an electrical field, in that the field would cause spectral lines to split.
John Stark
Stark, John (1728–1822), American Revolutionary soldier.
Starling
Starling, member of a family, Sturnidae, of more than 100 species of songbirds.
Belle Starr
Starr, Belle (1848–89), U.S. outlaw.
Ringo Starr
Starr, Ringo See: Beatles.
Starter
Starter, device that causes the crankshaft in an engine to turn and operate.
State government
State government, body that administers laws and regulations within a state.
State press
State press, system of publishing owned and controlled by a government or dominant political party.
U.S. Department of State
State, U.S.
Staten Island
Staten Island, in New York Harbor, 5 mi (8 km) southwest of the Battery tip of Manhattan Island.
States' rights
States' rights, power allowed by the U.S.
Static
Static, interference in a radio or television signal caused by disturbance in the electrical charge of the receiver.
Statics
Statics, branch of mechanics dealing with systems in equilibrium, i.e., those in which all forces are balanced and there is no motion.
Statistics
Statistics, branch of mathematics that collects, tabulates, and analyzes data by a numerical system which, in turn, is used to make predictions and projections about situations that are uncertain.
Statuary Hall
Statuary Hall, domed chamber in the U.S.
Statue of Liberty
Statue of Liberty, colossal bronze female figure rising more than 300 ft (91 m) above the sea, on Liberty Island in New York Harbor.
Statue of Liberty National Monument
Statue of Liberty National Monument, on New York City's Ellis and Liberty islands, 58-acre (23 ha) monument.
Statute of limitations
Statute of limitations, law that prevents suits from being filed after a certain period has elapsed.
STD
STD See: Venereal disease.
Steam engine
Steam engine, first important heat engine, supplying the power that made the Industrial Revolution possible. It was the principal power source for industry and transport (notably railroad locomotives and steamships) until the 20th-century advent of steam turbines and internal-combustion engines. The steam engine is an external-combustion engine, the steam being raised in a boiler heated by a furna…
Steamboat
Steamboat, any steam-powered sailing vessel.
Stearic acid
Stearic acid, or octadecanoic acid, common fatty acid derived from animal or vegetable fats.
Steatite
Steatite See: Soapstone.
Steel
Steel, alloy of iron and up to 1.7% carbon, with small amounts of manganese, phosphorous, sulfur, and silicon. These are termed carbon steels; those with other metals are termed alloy steels—low-alloy steels if they have less than 5% of the alloying metal, high-alloy steels if more than 5%. Carbon steels are far stronger than iron, and their properties can be tailored t…
Sir Richard Steele
Steele, Sir Richard (1672–1729), Irish-born English essayist, playwright, and poet.
United Steelworkers of America
Steelworkers of America, United (USWA), large U.S. labor union affiliated with the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) and consisting mainly of workers in the steel, iron, metal, aluminum, and chemical industries.
Jan Steen
Steen, Jan (c.1626–79), Dutch painter, a master of color and facial expressions.
Steenbok
Steenbok, or steinbok, small African antelope belonging to the family Bovidae.
Steeplechasing
Steeplechasing, horse-racing over a course with such obstacles as fences, hedges, and water.
Lincoln Steffens
Steffens, Lincoln (1866–1936), U.S. writer, lecturer, and political critic.
Stegosaurus
Stegosaurus See: Dinosaur.
Edward Steichen
Steichen, Edward (1879–1973), U.S. photographer known for his sharp, realistic portraits.
Gertrude Stein
Stein, Gertrude (1874–1946), U.S. writer who lived in Paris from 1903.
John Steinbeck
Steinbeck, John (1902–68), U.S. author who came to the fore in the 1930s with his novels about poverty and social injustice.
Jack Steinberger
Steinberger, Jack (1921– ), U.S. physicist.
Steinbok
Steinbok See: Steenbok.
Gloria Steinem
Steinem, Gloria (1934– ), U.S feminist and writer.
Rudolf Steiner
Steiner, Rudolf (1861–1925), Austrian founder of anthroposophy, an attempt to recapture spiritual realities ignored by modern man.
Charles Proteus Steinmetz
Steinmetz, Charles Proteus (1865–1923), German-born U.S. mathematician, electrical engineer, and politician.
Steinway
Steinway, U.S. family of piano manufacturers.
Frank Stella
Stella, Frank (1936– ), U.S. painter.
Stem
Stem, part of a plant from which the leaves and flowers sprout.
Stendhal
Stendhal (Marie Henri Beyle; 1783–1842), French pioneer of the psychological novel.
Casey Stengel
Stengel, Casey (c.1890–1975), U.S. baseball manager.
Stephen
Stephen, name of 9 popes.
Stephen
Stephen (c.1097–1154), king of England (1135–54).
Alexander Hamilton Stephens
Stephens, Alexander Hamilton (1812–83), vice president of the Confederate States of America (1861–65).
Stephenson
Stephenson, British family of inventors and railroad engineers.
Steppe
Steppe, extensive temperate grasslands of Europe and Asia (equivalent to the North American prairies and South American pampas).
Stereoscope
Stereoscope, optical instrument that stimulates binocular vision by presenting slightly different pictures to the 2 eyes so that an apparently 3-dimensional image is produced.
Stereotyping
Stereotyping, in printing, process in which a metal plate is made from a mold of typeface or art.