from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Nobel prize \No*bel" prize\n.; pl. {No*bel" prizes}.
Prizes for the encouragement of men and women who work for
the interests of humanity, established by the will of Alfred
B. Nobel (1833-1896), the Swedish inventor of dynamite, who
left his entire estate for this purpose. They are awarded
yearly for what is regarded as the most important work during
the year in physics, chemistry, medicine or physiology,
idealistic literature, and service in the interest of peace.
The prizes, averaging $40,000 each, were first awarded in
1901. The monetary value of the awards have increased each
year, to near one million U. S. dollars by the end of the
20th century.
Note: The awards are administered by the [a
HREF="http:]/www.nobel.se/index.html">Nobel Foundation,
which maintains a Web Page where the lists of prize
winners and other information about the Nobel Prize may
be found.
[Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC]