This publication represents research and analysis compiled, edited, and written by the author. In that effort, the following information may be helpful to the user for better understanding of this dictionary: 1. Words applicable to landscape architecture but most commonly understood are not defined within this work (i.e., water). 2. Most entries with multiple words do not have the words individually listed and defined so as to avoid redundancy and conserve space (i.e., crop coefficient, or cross connection). 3. Many conglomerate entries (multiple word entries) that are listed and defined as separate words and retain the given meaning of each word are not listed because the meaning is obvious with the meaning of each defined word (i.e., turf irrigation system), etc.

This work is the result of contributions from 52 active researchers in geophysics, astrophysics and astronomy. We have followed a philosophy of directness and simplicity, while still allowing contributors flexibility to expand in their own areas of expertise. They are cited in the contributors’ list, but I take this opportunity to thank the contributors for their efforts and their patience. The subject areas of this dictionary at the time of this writing are among the most active of the physical sciences. Astrophysics and astronomy are enjoying a new golden era, with remarkable observations in new wave bands (γ -rays, X-rays, infrared, radio) and in new fields: neutrino and (soon) gravitational wave astronomy.

The Dictionary of Food Ingredients is a unique, easy-to-use source of information on over 1,000 food ingredients. Like the previous editions, the new and updated Fourth Edition provides clear and concise information on currently used additives, including natural ingredients, FDA-approved artificial ingredients, and compounds used in food processing. The dictionary entries, organized in alphabetical order, include information on ingredient functions, chemical properties, and uses in food products.

The McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Engineering provides a compendium of more than 18,000 terms that are central to the various branches of engineering and related fields of science. The coverage in this Second Edition is focused on building construction, chemical engineering, civil engineering, control systems, design engineering, electricity and electronics, engineering acoustics, industrial engineering, mechanics and mechanical engineering, systems engineering, and thermodynamics. Many of the terms used in engineering are often found in specialized dictionaries and glossaries; this Dictionary, however, aims to provide the user with the convenience of a single, comprehensive reference.

There is a wealth of information about energy, but it is spread across many books, journals, websites, disciplines, ideologies, and user communities. Information about energy tends to target either a particular form of energy or a specific audience. There is no central repository of information that meets diverse user communities, and no primary machinery of communication among those communities. These characteristics of energy information define the formidable barrier to successful teaching and learning related to energy, a barrier we seek to significantly erode, if not eliminate, with the Dictionary of Energy.

“DNA technology” refers to a variety of procedures – some simple, others extremely complex and sophisticated. At the most basic level they include: isolating and purifying DNA; cutting DNA with specialized enzymes; characterizing, sequencing and expressing DNA; hybridizing, labeling, ligating, staining and quantifying DNA; and amplifying specific regions of DNA. This technology is used in fields such as: -diagnosis (infectious and hereditary diseases); - drug development; - epidemiology; - forensic science; - gene therapy; - genetically modified (GM) foods; - industrial enzymes etc.

This dictionary provides the user with a comprehensive range of the vocabulary used in the field of computing. It covers all aspects of computing, including hardware, software, peripherals, networks and programming, as well as many applications in which computers are used, such as the Internet or desktop publishing. It also describes the latest developments in networks, the Internet, communications, programming, multimedia, processor design and storage technology.

From author: “I am pleased to present a work which marks a milestone in the history of public works and, more precisely, in that of permanent structures - a comprehensive dictionary of Civil Engineering terms. Since the beginning of time, Man has always tried to find a means to clear the obstacles which nature erected to displace him. With the first tree trunk thrown across a river, man sought to improve the crossing structure. After the invention of the wheel, and to satisfy his thirst for conquest (Roman ways), and comfort (aqueducts), man built bridges that became a preremptory necessity to move quickly”

The McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Chemistry provides a compendium of 8000 terms that are central to chemistry and related fields of science and technology. The coverage in this Second Edition is focused on the the areas of analytical chemisty, general chemistry, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, physical chemistry, and spectroscopy, with new terms added and others revised as necessary.

Unlike conventional aeronautical dictionaries, the Dictionary of Aviation defines vocabulary often found in conjunction with the purely technical terms as well as the technical terms themselves. Simple explanations are presented in simple language, making the dictionary ideal for those working towards a private or commercial pilot’s licence, as well as trainee maintenance engineers and more experienced professionals. We also give examples to show how the words are used in context.