isthmus

[ is-muhs ]
See synonyms for isthmus on Thesaurus.com
noun,plural isth·mus·es, isth·mi [is-mahy]. /ˈɪs maɪ/.
  1. a narrow strip of land, bordered on both sides by water, connecting two larger bodies of land.

  2. Anatomy, Zoology. a connecting, usually narrow, part, organ, or passage, especially when joining structures or cavities larger than itself.

  1. Ichthyology. the narrow fleshy area between the sides of the lower jaw of a fish.

Origin of isthmus

1
1545–55; <Latin <Greek isthmós neck (of land)

Other words from isthmus

  • isthmoid, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for isthmus

isthmus

/ (ˈɪsməs) /


nounplural -muses or -mi (-maɪ)
  1. a narrow strip of land connecting two relatively large land areas

  2. anatomy

    • a narrow band of tissue connecting two larger parts of a structure

    • a narrow passage connecting two cavities

Origin of isthmus

1
C16: from Latin, from Greek isthmos

Derived forms of isthmus

  • isthmoid, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for isthmus

isthmus

[ ĭsməs ]


Plural isthmuses isthmi (ĭsmī′)
  1. A narrow strip of land connecting two larger masses of land.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Cultural definitions for isthmus

isthmus

[ (is-muhs) ]


A narrow strip of land that connects two larger bodies of land and has water on both sides.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.