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1
: a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas
2
: a narrow anatomical part or passage connecting two larger structures or cavities
Examples of isthmus in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Panama is a 480-mile-long strip of land, known as the isthmus, that extends from Costa Rica to Colombia, separating the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
—Ken Silverstein, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2024
The challenge for the SNP will be to stay atop the narrow isthmus between touting multiculturalism and democracy and claiming that these values are best realized outside a kingdom where both are already sacred.
—Charles King, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2012
Radziner designed the upcountry Kula home to showcase sweeping views: an isthmus to the west and, further east, the Haleakalā volcano.
—R. Daniel Foster, Forbes, 16 Aug. 2024
Restrictions in the Darien Gap, the isthmus that connects South America with Central America, could create a bottleneck in Colombia.
—Nick Miroff, Washington Post, 18 July 2024
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Word History
Etymology
Latin, from Greek isthmos
First Known Use
1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near isthmus
Cite this Entry
“Isthmus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/isthmus. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
isthmus
noun
isth·mus
ˈis-məs
: a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas
Medical Definition
isthmus
noun
isth·mus
ˈis-məs
: a contracted anatomical part or passage connecting two larger structures or cavities: as
a
: an embryonic constriction separating the midbrain from the hindbrain
b
: the lower portion of the uterine corpus
More from Merriam-Webster on isthmus
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for isthmus
Nglish: Translation of isthmus for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about isthmus
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