Definition of ISTHMUS
- ️Thu Feb 13 2025
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The waterway was cleaved across the most narrow section of the Panamanian isthmus in the late 1800s and early 1900s, by French and then U.S. engineers.
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Tracy Wilkinson, Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2025
At the beginning of the 20th century, the isthmus of Panama was part of Colombia.
—Lisa Friedman, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2025
For generations, outsiders had considered the narrow isthmus to be the perfect spot for a trans-oceanic canal that would shorten the sea voyage by thousands of miles.
—Patrick Oppmann, CNN, 20 Jan. 2025
Because Crimea is connected to the Eurasian continent only by a narrow, vulnerable isthmus and a bridge, once Ukrainian troops enter the region, the remaining Russian forces will be trapped, making Russian military sites even more vulnerable to Ukrainian strikes.
—Andriy Zagorodnyuk, Foreign Affairs, 2 Jan. 2023
See all Example Sentences for isthmus 
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 14 Feb. 2025.
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Last Updated: 13 Feb 2025 - Updated example sentences
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