isthmus

noun

isth·​mus ˈi-sməs How to pronounce isthmus (audio)
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 The saying goes that almost every family here on the isthmus includes a person who identifies as muxe. Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 16 Jan. 2024 In recent months, a severe drought has limited access to the Panama Canal and forced some cargo to be transported across the isthmus by rail instead of ship. Evan Halper, Washington Post, 16 Jan. 2024 The isthmus, Mexico’s narrowest point between the Pacific and the Gulf of Mexico, is a key smuggling corridor for U.S.-bound illicit drugs and undocumented migrants. Patrick J. McDonnell, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2024 This process contributed to the closure of the Central American isthmus, which finally occurred about 3 million years ago. Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Jan. 2024 But what’s at stake, all sides say, is a much larger question: What kind of country is this Central American isthmus going to be — one that preserves its natural riches or develops them? Andrea Salcedo, Washington Post, 7 Nov. 2023 There are multiple mountain ranges on the southern edge of the isthmus, but there’s a gap that allows winds through. Matthew Cappucci, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2023 And this year, the Mexican government announced a plan to develop a corridor straddling a narrow isthmus in southern Mexico. Tara John, CNN, 13 June 2023 Things are always moving and grooving on and around the isthmus, from festivals to music performances to countless opportunities for outdoor recreation. Madeline Heim, Journal Sentinel, 26 July 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'isthmus.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from Greek isthmos

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of isthmus was in 1555

Dictionary Entries Near isthmus

Cite this Entry

“Isthmus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/isthmus. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

isthmus

noun
isth·​mus ˈis-məs How to pronounce isthmus (audio)
: a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas

Medical Definition

isthmus

noun
isth·​mus ˈis-məs How to pronounce isthmus (audio)
: 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

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