Latium, ancient area in west-central Italy, originally limited to the territory around the Alban Hills, but extending by about 500 bce south of the Tiber River as far as the promontory of Mount Circeo. It was bounded on the northwest by Etruria, on the southeast by Campania, on the east by Samnium,

jus Latii: …pattern, the language, and the law of Latins. Their demand for Roman citizenship quickly became a political issue in Rome and was granted in 49 by Julius Caesar and Augustus to many native communities in the western provinces, and the process went on until Vespasian gave it to all the…

Leto, in classical mythology, a Titan, the daughter of Coeus and Phoebe, and mother of the god Apollo and the goddess Artemis. The chief places of her legend were Delos and Delphi. Leto, pregnant by Zeus, sought a place of refuge to be delivered. She finally reached the barren isle of Delos, which,

laterite, soil layer that is rich in iron oxide and derived from a wide variety of rocks weathering under strongly oxidizing and leaching conditions. It forms in tropical and subtropical regions where the climate is humid. Lateritic soils may contain clay minerals; but they tend to be silica-poor,

Bruno Latour was a French sociologist and anthropologist known for his innovative and iconoclastic work in the study of science and technology in society. Latour’s early studies were in philosophy and theology, but his interests expanded to include anthropology and the philosophy of science and

Maurice-Quentin de La Tour was a pastelist whose animated and sharply characterized portraits made him one of the most successful and imitated portraitists of 18th-century France. Early in his youth La Tour went to Paris, where he entered the studio of the Flemish painter Jacques Spoede. He then

Pierre-André Latreille was a French zoologist and Roman Catholic priest, often considered to be the father of modern entomology. He was responsible for the first detailed classification of crustaceans and insects. Although he was a devoted student of natural history, Latreille was educated for the

Westmoreland: …Lower Burrell, Murrysville, Monessen, and Latrobe, which was officially recognized by the National Football League in 1946 as the birthplace of professional football in 1895.

Latrobe Valley: The Latrobe River rises in the Eastern Highlands near Mount Baw Baw in the Gippsland district. Flowing in a southeasterly direction, it passes the cities of Moe and Yallourn, where it turns to flow almost directly east, past Traralgon. The Latrobe is joined by its main…

Latrobe Valley, river valley in southeastern Victoria, Australia. It is one of the most important economic areas in the state. The Latrobe River rises in the Eastern Highlands near Mount Baw Baw in the Gippsland district. Flowing in a southeasterly direction, it passes the cities of Moe and

Benjamin Latrobe was a British-born architect and civil engineer who established architecture as a profession in the United States. Latrobe was the most original proponent of the Greek Revival style in American building. Latrobe attended the Moravian college at Niesky, Saxony, and traveled in

Benjamin Latrobe was a British-born architect and civil engineer who established architecture as a profession in the United States. Latrobe was the most original proponent of the Greek Revival style in American building. Latrobe attended the Moravian college at Niesky, Saxony, and traveled in

Wilsons Promontory: …interior; its highest point is Mount Latrobe, at 2,475 feet (754 metres). There is a lighthouse at its southern tip. The vegetative cover, which tends toward the xerophytic (i.e., adapted to a dry climate) on the west, is periodically swept by fires.

black widow, (genus Latrodectus), any of about 30 species of black spiders distinguished by an hourglass-shaped marking on the abdomen. Black widows are found throughout much of the world. The bite of the black widow often produces muscle pain, nausea, and mild paralysis of the diaphragm, which

black widow: The South American black widow, L. curacaviensis, whose geographic range encompasses the Lesser Antilles and South America, lives under logs, debris, and trash and frequents stone fireplaces. L. hasselti lives in Australia, where it is called the redback, and L. katipo lives in New Zealand, where it is called the…

black widow: hystrix, L. dahli, and L. pallidus are found in southern Europe, northern Africa, and southwestern Asia, whereas the range of the European black widow, or karakurt, L. tredecimguttatus, extends from the western Mediterranean region to Central Asia. The South American black widow, L. curacaviensis,

black widow: …latter is also called the brown widow and is native to Africa. In the northern part of its range, L. mactans is found most often in brush piles and near dwellings. In the southeastern United States, however, it lives on the ground. L. hesperus is found in western North America.

redback, (Latrodectus hasselti), species of comb-footed spider (family Theridiidae) that is native to Australia, the females of which are venomous and distinguished by an orange or red stripe on the back of the abdomen. The body colour of males and females typically is brownish or black, and both

black widow: Elsewhere, L. hystrix, L. dahli, and L. pallidus are found in southern Europe, northern Africa, and southwestern Asia, whereas the range of the European black widow, or karakurt, L. tredecimguttatus, extends from the western Mediterranean region to Central Asia. The South American black widow,

black widow: dahli, and L. pallidus are found in southern Europe, northern Africa, and southwestern Asia, whereas the range of the European black widow, or karakurt, L. tredecimguttatus, extends from the western Mediterranean region to Central Asia. The South American black widow, L. curacaviensis, whose geographic range encompasses the…

Latvia: Finance: …adopted its own currency, the lats. On January 1, 2014, Latvia adopted the euro as its official currency. The Central Bank of the Republic of Latvia is the centre of the banking system. There is a stock exchange in Riga. In the middle of the first decade of the 2000s,…

Kristin Hunter Lattany was an American novelist who examined black life and race relations in the United States in both children’s stories and works for adults. Lattany began writing for The Pittsburgh Courier, an important African American newspaper, when she was 14 and continued until the year

Kristin Hunter Lattany was an American novelist who examined black life and race relations in the United States in both children’s stories and works for adults. Lattany began writing for The Pittsburgh Courier, an important African American newspaper, when she was 14 and continued until the year

Olivia Newton-John: Career: She married American actor Matt Lattanzi in 1984 (they later divorced) and became a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme. Warm and Tender (1989), an album dedicated to her daughter, featured soothing music for infants as well as inserts on ways to protect the environment.

Micronesian culture: Settlement patterns and housing: The so-called latte stones of this area—paired rows of large stone pillars with capstones—are thought to have been the foundations of raised houses. Latte stones can be quite tall: the quarries in which they were fashioned indicate that some were 20 feet (6 metres) tall or more,…

Hagåtña: Close by is Latte Stone Park, with latte stones (pillars that supported houses of the prehistoric Latte culture). Tamuning, just northeast of Hagåtña, and Piti, to the southwest, have become major business centres at the expense of the capital. Hagåtña usually enjoys a mild climate but is often…

horse brass: Before 1830 latten, an alloy of brass, was used, the pierced design being cut by hand. Most of the later varieties are of cast brass, sometimes plated. Many were produced in Walsall and Birmingham, particularly in the latter half of the 19th century. Over 1,000 different designs…

Latter Rain revival, early name for the Pentecostal movement within U.S. Protestantism; it began in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in Tennessee and North Carolina and took its name from the “latter rain” referred to in Joel 2:23. The Bible passage states that the former (fall) rain and

Thomas Carlyle: London: His next important work was Latter-Day Pamphlets (1850), in which the savage side of his nature was particularly prominent. In the essay on model prisons, for instance, he tried to persuade the public that the most brutal and useless sections of the population were being coddled in the new prisons…

Césare Mansueto Giulio Lattes was a Brazilian physicist who, with American physicist Eugene Gardner at the University of California, Berkeley, in 1948 confirmed the existence of heavy and light mesons formed during the bombardment of carbon nuclei with alpha particles. Lattes studied at the

crystal: Structures of metals: The most common lattice structures for metals are those obtained by stacking the atomic spheres into the most compact arrangement. There are two such possible periodic arrangements. In each, the first layer has the atoms packed into a plane-triangular lattice in which every atom has six immediate neighbours.…

axis: …and their lengths are called lattice constants. The relative lengths of these edges and the angles between them place the solid into one of the seven crystal systems. (See crystal.) The position of an atom within a unit cell is given in terms of the crystallographic axes, and planes in…

basketry: Lattice construction: In lattice construction a frame made of two or three layers of passive standards is bound together by wrapping the intersections with a thread. The ways of intertwining hardly vary at all and the commonest is also the simplest: the threads are wrapped…

lattice energy, the energy needed to completely separate an ionic solid, such as common table salt, into gaseous ions (also the energy released in the reverse process). Lattice energy is usually measured in kilojoules per mole (1 mole = 6.0221367 ¥ 1023). For each particular solid, the lattice

spectroscopy: X-ray optics: …wavelengths are comparable to the lattice spacings in analyzing crystals, the radiation can be “Bragg reflected” from the crystal: each crystal plane acts as a weakly reflecting surface, but if the angle of incidence θ and crystal spacing d satisfy the Bragg condition, 2d sin θ = nλ, where λ…

superconductivity: Discovery: …the crystal structure, called the lattice vibrations. In 1953, in an analysis of the thermal conductivity of superconductors, it was recognized that the distribution of energies of the free electrons in a superconductor is not uniform but has a separation called the energy gap.

glassware: Venice and the façon de Venise: …threads for decorative purposes (latticinio). This form of decoration became progressively more complex; opaque threads were embedded in a matrix of clear glass and then twisted into cables, which were themselves used to build up the wall of a vessel. The height of complexity was reached when a bulb…

Owen Lattimore was an American sinologist, a victim of McCarthyism in the 1950s. The brother of poet Richmond Lattimore, Owen Lattimore spent much of his childhood in China, where his father was a teacher. From 1926 he was engaged in research and writing, traveling throughout Mongolia, Sinkiang,

Richmond Lattimore was an American poet and translator renowned for his disciplined yet poetic translations of Greek classics. Lattimore graduated from Dartmouth in 1926 and from the University of Oxford in 1932. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois (1935). While in college,

Richmond Lattimore was an American poet and translator renowned for his disciplined yet poetic translations of Greek classics. Lattimore graduated from Dartmouth in 1926 and from the University of Oxford in 1932. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois (1935). While in college,

Jean de Lattre de Tassigny was a French army officer and posthumous marshal of France who became one of the leading military figures in the French forces under General Charles de Gaulle during World War II. He was also the most successful French commander of the First Indochina War (1946–54). After

Jean de Lattre de Tassigny was a French army officer and posthumous marshal of France who became one of the leading military figures in the French forces under General Charles de Gaulle during World War II. He was also the most successful French commander of the First Indochina War (1946–54). After

Federico Fellini: Early life and influences: … [1950; The Path of Hope]), Alberto Lattuada (Senza pietà [1948; Without Pity]), and Luigi Comencini (Persiane chiuse [1951; Behind Closed Shutters]); he was uncredited on the latter film. In addition, Fellini contributed to Rossellini’s Paisà (1946; Paisan) and Il miracolo (1948; “The Miracle”, an episode of the film L’amore), in…

Lotuxo, people of South Sudan, living near Torit, who speak an Eastern Sudanic language of the Nilo-Saharan language family. They grow millet, corn (maize), peanuts (groundnuts), and tobacco and raise herds of cattle. The Lotuxo live in large, fortified villages, often with several hundred huts and

ellipse: …the minor axis is a latus rectum (literally, “straight side”).

Latvia, country of northeastern Europe and the middle of the three Baltic states. Latvia, which was occupied and annexed by the U.S.S.R. in June 1940, declared its independence on August 21, 1991. The U.S.S.R. recognized its sovereignty on September 6, and United Nations membership followed shortly

national flag consisting of a crimson field (background) divided horizontally by a narrow white stripe. The flag’s width-to-length ratio is 1 to 2.The basic design of the flag was used by a Latvian militia unit in 1279, as is attested in a 14th-century manuscript known as the Livländische

history of Latvia, a survey of the important events and people in the history of Latvia from ancient times to the present. The Latvians constitute a prominent division of the ancient group of peoples known as the Balts. The first historically documented connection between the Balts and the

Latvia, country of northeastern Europe and the middle of the three Baltic states. Latvia, which was occupied and annexed by the U.S.S.R. in June 1940, declared its independence on August 21, 1991. The U.S.S.R. recognized its sovereignty on September 6, and United Nations membership followed shortly

Latvia: Ethnic groups, languages, and religion: …Soviet occupation in 1940, ethnic Latvians constituted about three-fourths of the country’s population. Today they make up about three-fifths of the population, and Russians account for about one-fourth. There are small groups of Belarusians, Ukrainians, Poles, Lithuanians, and others. The official language of Latvia is Latvian; however, nearly one-third of…

Latvian language, East Baltic language spoken primarily in Latvia, where it has been the official language since 1918. It belongs to the Baltic branch of the Indo-European family of languages. (See Baltic languages.) In the late 20th century Latvian was spoken by about 1.5 million people. The

Latvian literature, body of writings in the Latvian language. Latvia’s loss of political independence in the 13th century prevented a natural evolution of its literature out of folk poetry. Much of Latvian literature is an attempt to reestablish this connection. Written literature came late,

Latvian language, East Baltic language spoken primarily in Latvia, where it has been the official language since 1918. It belongs to the Baltic branch of the Indo-European family of languages. (See Baltic languages.) In the late 20th century Latvian was spoken by about 1.5 million people. The

Latvia, country of northeastern Europe and the middle of the three Baltic states. Latvia, which was occupied and annexed by the U.S.S.R. in June 1940, declared its independence on August 21, 1991. The U.S.S.R. recognized its sovereignty on September 6, and United Nations membership followed shortly

Latvia, country of northeastern Europe and the middle of the three Baltic states. Latvia, which was occupied and annexed by the U.S.S.R. in June 1940, declared its independence on August 21, 1991. The U.S.S.R. recognized its sovereignty on September 6, and United Nations membership followed shortly

Larisa Latynina is a Soviet gymnast who was the first woman athlete to win nine Olympic gold medals and was one of the most decorated competitors in the history of the Games. At the 1956 Games in Melbourne, Australia, Latynina, who was educated at the Kiev State Institute of Physical Culture, won

Larisa Latynina is a Soviet gymnast who was the first woman athlete to win nine Olympic gold medals and was one of the most decorated competitors in the history of the Games. At the 1956 Games in Melbourne, Australia, Latynina, who was educated at the Kiev State Institute of Physical Culture, won

children’s literature: Overview: ” In 1923 Marie-Thérèse Latzarus tolled the passing bell in La littérature enfantine en France dans la seconde moitié du XIXe siècle (Paris; Les Presses Universitaires de France): “Children’s literature, more’s the pity, is dying.” And in 1937, in their introduction to Beaux livres, belles histoires, the compilers…

Lau Group, island cluster of Fiji in the South Pacific Ocean, east of the Koro Sea. Mainly composed of limestone, the 57 islands and islets cover a land area of 188 square miles (487 square km) and are scattered over 44,000 square miles (114,000 square km) of the South Pacific. The chief island is

Lau Group, island cluster of Fiji in the South Pacific Ocean, east of the Koro Sea. Mainly composed of limestone, the 57 islands and islets cover a land area of 188 square miles (487 square km) and are scattered over 44,000 square miles (114,000 square km) of the South Pacific. The chief island is

Lau v. Nichols, case in which the U.S. Supreme Court on January 21, 1974, ruled (9–0) that, under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a California school district receiving federal funds must provide non-English-speaking students with instruction in the English language to ensure that they receive an

Samoa: European influence: …led by the orator chief Lauaki Namulau’ulu. The matai were dissatisfied with the German governor’s attempts to change the fa’a Samoa and centralize all authority in his hands. After the governor called in warships, Lauaki and nine of his leading supporters surrendered, whereupon they were tried and exiled to Saipan…

pottery: Tin-glazed ware: “Leaf and strapwork” (Laub-und-Bandelwerk) was a much used type of motif, and excellent work was done by A.F. von Löwenfinck (who is known particularly for his work on porcelain) and Joseph Philipp Danhofer. Perhaps the finest 18th-century faience was made by the factory at Höchst, near Mainz, which…

submarine: Toward diesel-electric power: …was the Narval, designed by Maxime Laubeuf, a marine engineer in the navy. Launched in 1899, the Narval was a double-hulled craft, 111.5 feet long, propelled on the surface by a steam engine and by electric motors when submerged. The ballast tanks were located between the double hulls, a concept…

Georg Joachim Rheticus was an Austrian-born astronomer and mathematician who was among the first to adopt and spread the heliocentric theory of Nicolaus Copernicus. In 1536 Rheticus was appointed to a chair of mathematics and astronomy at the University of Wittenberg. Intrigued by the news of the

William Laud was the archbishop of Canterbury (1633–45) and religious adviser to King Charles I of Great Britain. His persecution of Puritans and other religious dissidents resulted in his trial and execution by the House of Commons. Laud was the son of a prominent clothier. From Reading Grammar

lauda, a type of Italian poetry or a nonliturgical devotional song in praise of the Virgin Mary, Christ, or the saints. The poetic lauda was of liturgical origin, and it was popular from about the mid-13th to the 16th century in Italy, where it was used particularly in confraternal groups and for

Niki Lauda was an Austrian race-car driver who won three Formula One (F1) Grand Prix world championships (1975, 1977, and 1984), the last two of which came after his remarkable comeback from a horrific crash in 1976 that had left him severely burned and near death. Lauda was born into a wealthy

Niki Lauda was an Austrian race-car driver who won three Formula One (F1) Grand Prix world championships (1975, 1977, and 1984), the last two of which came after his remarkable comeback from a horrific crash in 1976 that had left him severely burned and near death. Lauda was born into a wealthy

Adrian IV: …Canterbury, and granted him the Donation of Ireland (known as the bull Laudabiliter), which supposedly gave Ireland to Henry II of England. Attacked for false representation, the bull was subsequently refuted. (Even if Laudabiliter is authentic, which is doubtful, it does not grant hereditary possession of Ireland to the English…

philosophy of science: The antirealism of van Fraassen, Laudan, and Fine: …different antirealist argument, presented by Laudan, attacks directly the “ultimate argument” for realism. Laudan reflected on the history of science and considered all the past theories that were once counted as outstandingly successful. He offered a list of outmoded theories, claiming that all enjoyed successes and noting that not only…

laudanum, originally, the name given by Paracelsus to a famous medical preparation of his own, composed of gold, pearls, and other items but containing opium as its chief ingredient. The name either was invented by Paracelsus from the Latin laudare (“to praise”) or was a corrupted form of ladanum

lauda, a type of Italian poetry or a nonliturgical devotional song in praise of the Virgin Mary, Christ, or the saints. The poetic lauda was of liturgical origin, and it was popular from about the mid-13th to the 16th century in Italy, where it was used particularly in confraternal groups and for

Pierre Fresnay was a versatile French actor who abandoned a career with the Comédie-Française for the challenge of the cinema. Groomed for the stage by his uncle, the actor Claude Garry, Fresnay made his first stage appearance in 1912 before entering the Paris Conservatory. Admitted to the

Estée Lauder was an American businesswoman who cofounded (1946) Estée Lauder, Inc., a large fragrance and cosmetics company. She learned her first marketing lessons as a child in her father’s hardware store: assertive selling, perfectionism, promotion of quality products, and, above all, attention

Estée Lauder: She married Joseph Lauter (last name later changed to Lauder), whom she divorced in 1939 and remarried in 1942. Together they founded Estée Lauder, Inc., in 1946. Their first six beauty products included skin treatments, a rouge, and a makeup base. When no agency would handle their…

Sir Harry Lauder was a Scottish music-hall comedian who excited enthusiasm throughout the English-speaking world as a singer and composer of simplehearted Scottish songs. While a child half-timer in a flax mill he won singing competitions but worked in a coal mine for 10 years before joining a

Sir Harry Lauder was a Scottish music-hall comedian who excited enthusiasm throughout the English-speaking world as a singer and composer of simplehearted Scottish songs. While a child half-timer in a flax mill he won singing competitions but worked in a coal mine for 10 years before joining a

William Lauder was a Scottish literary forger, known for his fraudulent attempt to prove Milton a plagiarist. Educated at the University of Edinburgh, Lauder was a competent classical scholar. He was, however, embittered by a series of failures, and, seeking public recognition, he published in 1747

James Maitland, 8th earl of Lauderdale was a Scottish politician and economic writer. Lauderdale was educated at the universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow. He was elected to the House of Commons (1780, 1784) where, in spite of his abilities, he ran into difficulties due to his volatile temper. He

James Maitland, 8th earl of Lauderdale was a Scottish politician and economic writer. Lauderdale was educated at the universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow. He was elected to the House of Commons (1780, 1784) where, in spite of his abilities, he ran into difficulties due to his volatile temper. He

John Maitland, duke of Lauderdale was one of the chief ministers of King Charles II of England (reigned 1660–85); he earned notoriety for his repressive rule in Scotland during Charles II’s reign. The son of a Scottish lord, Maitland signed the Solemn League and Covenant (1643), pledging to protect

lauda: …work that has been called Laudes creaturarum o Cantico del Sole (“Praises of God’s Creatures or the Canticle of the Sun”). Another outstanding early master of the lauda was the gifted 13th-century Franciscan poet Jacopone da Todi, who wrote many highly emotional and mystical laudi spirituali (“spiritual canticles”) in the…

lauda, a type of Italian poetry or a nonliturgical devotional song in praise of the Virgin Mary, Christ, or the saints. The poetic lauda was of liturgical origin, and it was popular from about the mid-13th to the 16th century in Italy, where it was used particularly in confraternal groups and for

Gabriele D’Annunzio: …work is the lyrical collection Laudi del cielo del mare della terra e degli eroi (1899; “In Praise of Sky, Sea, Earth, and Heroes”). The third book in this series, Alcyone (1904), a re-creation of the smells, tastes, sounds, and experiences of a Tuscan summer, is considered by many his…

lauda, a type of Italian poetry or a nonliturgical devotional song in praise of the Virgin Mary, Christ, or the saints. The poetic lauda was of liturgical origin, and it was popular from about the mid-13th to the 16th century in Italy, where it was used particularly in confraternal groups and for

Limoges painted enamel: The Laudin family dominated the production of the ware in the 17th century and were the last major enamellers at Limoges. See also Limosin, Léonard; Pénicaud family.

Gideon Ernest, baron von Laudon was an Austrian field marshal who was one of the most successful Habsburg commanders during the Seven Years’ War (1756–63) and the Austro-Turkish War of 1787–91. The son of a Swedish officer of Scottish descent, Laudon entered the Russian Army as a cadet in 1732.

divine office: Lauds and vespers are the solemn morning and evening prayers of the church. Terce, sext, and none correspond to the mid-morning, noon, and mid-afternoon hours. Compline, a night prayer, is of monastic origin, as was prime, recited in the early morning before

Laon, town, capital of Aisne département, Hauts-de-France région, northern France. It lies northwest of Reims and northeast of Paris. The picturesque old town, situated on the summit of a scarped hill, stands high above the new town, which spreads out over the surrounding plain about 330 feet (100

Laue diffraction, in X-rays, a regular array of spots on a photographic emulsion resulting from X-rays scattered by certain groups of parallel atomic planes within a crystal. When a thin, pencil-like beam of X-rays is allowed to impinge on a crystal, those of certain wavelengths will be oriented at

Laue diffraction, in X-rays, a regular array of spots on a photographic emulsion resulting from X-rays scattered by certain groups of parallel atomic planes within a crystal. When a thin, pencil-like beam of X-rays is allowed to impinge on a crystal, those of certain wavelengths will be oriented at

Georges Friedel: …of symmetry are known as Friedel classes (or Laue symmetry groups).

Max von Laue was a German recipient of the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1914 for his discovery of the diffraction of X rays in crystals. This enabled scientists to study the structure of crystals and hence marked the origin of solid-state physics, an important field in the development of modern

Max von Laue was a German recipient of the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1914 for his discovery of the diffraction of X rays in crystals. This enabled scientists to study the structure of crystals and hence marked the origin of solid-state physics, an important field in the development of modern

Lauenburg, former duchy of northern Germany, stretching from south of Lübeck to the Elbe and bounded on the west and east, respectively, by the former duchies of Holstein and Mecklenburg, an area that since 1946 has been part of the federal Land (state) of Schleswig-Holstein. A duchy under the

Otto von Bismarck was the prime minister of Prussia (1862–73, 1873–90) and founder and first chancellor (1871–90) of the German Empire. Once the empire was established, he actively and skillfully pursued pacific policies in foreign affairs, succeeding in preserving the peace in Europe for about two

Matt Lauer is an American journalist and television host best known as the cohost (1997–2017) of Today, a weekday morning news and talk show airing on the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) television network. He was fired from his job amid allegations of inappropriate behavior that became public

Matt Lauer is an American journalist and television host best known as the cohost (1997–2017) of Today, a weekday morning news and talk show airing on the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) television network. He was fired from his job amid allegations of inappropriate behavior that became public