dana

dana — biographical name

1. Charles Anderson Dana (1819–1897), an American who edited the New York Sun and m

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Definition

Charles Anderson Dana (1819–1897), an American who edited the New York Sun and made it one of the most widely read daily papers of the 1800s by insisting on bold, concise reporting.

Example

Dana became editor of the New York Sun and turned it into a leading paper.

historical figure in subject position

Dana changed American news writing with shorter, clearer articles for ordinary readers.

2. James Dwight Dana (1813–1895), a scientist from the United States who studied vo

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Definition

James Dwight Dana (1813–1895), a scientist from the United States who studied volcanoes, coral reefs, and the formation of mountains, and whose writings became the foundation of North American geology.

Example

James Dwight Dana studied coral reefs during a long voyage across the Pacific Ocean.

scientific work in geographic context

The mineral danalite was named after James Dwight Dana for his work in mineralogy.

3. Richard Henry Dana (1815–1882) practiced law in Boston and wrote Two Years Befor

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Definition

Richard Henry Dana (1815–1882) practiced law in Boston and wrote Two Years Before the Mast, a classic book about his years working as a sailor aboard a merchant ship.

Example

Richard Henry Dana wrote Two Years Before the Mast about his life as a sailor.

author and best-known work

Sofia used Dana's sea account as a source for a paper on maritime history.

Etymology

IrishEnglish

The surname Dana has several possible origins. It may come from the Irish surname Ó Dána, meaning 'descendant of Dána', where Dána was a personal name possibly meaning 'bold' or 'daring'. In some cases it arrived in America with English settlers of Norman descent. The three notable American figures bearing this name — all active in the 19th century — are unrelated to each other by blood but are grouped together in biographical references because of their shared surname and historical prominence.