isthmus
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məs [is-mahy] . 1545–55; < Latin < Greek isthmós neck (of land)
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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isthmus (ˈɪsməs) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n , pl -muses, -mi | |
| 1. | a narrow strip of land connecting two relatively large land areas |
| 2. | anatomy |
| a. a narrow band of tissue connecting two larger parts of a structure | |
| b. a narrow passage connecting two cavities | |
| [C16: from Latin, from Greek isthmos] | |
| 'isthmoid | |
| —adj | |
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| a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes. |
| a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison. |
isthmus
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isthmus isth·mus (ĭs'məs)
n. pl. isth·mus·es or isth·mi (-mī')
A constriction or narrow passage connecting two larger parts of an organ or other anatomical structure.
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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| isthmus (ĭs'məs) Pronunciation Key
Plural isthmuses or isthmi (ĭs'mī') A narrow strip of land connecting two larger masses of land. |
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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A narrow strip of land that connects two larger bodies of land and has water on both sides.
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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isthmus
narrow strip of land connecting two large land areas otherwise separated by the sea. Unquestionably the two most famous are the Isthmus of Panama, connecting North and South America, and the Isthmus of Suez, connecting Africa and Asia. Historically the Isthmus of Corinth was of major importance because it connected what otherwise would be the island of the Peloponnese with the rest of the Greek peninsula. Isthmuses are of great importance in plant and animal geography because they offer a path for the migration of land plants and animals between the two land masses they connect.
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