Pronunciation guide

How to pronounce isthmus

ISS-mus - two syllables; the 'th' in the middle is usually skipped

US/ˈɪs.məs/

ɪsməs

UK/ˈɪsθ.məs/

ɪsθməs

New to IPA symbols? Read the IPA guide.

Common mistake

The middle 'thm' collapses - 'ISS-mus', not 'ISTH-muss'.

What “isthmus” means

A narrow strip of land, bordered on both sides by water, and connecting two larger landmasses.

Any such narrow part connecting two larger structures.

In a sentence

  • The Isthmus of Panama connects North and South America.
  • Historically, the isthmus allowed land routes between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

Say it out loud a few times, then check yourself.

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Definitions and examples are derived from Wiktionary, used under CC BY-SA 4.0, then edited by QuickPronounce. Pronunciation data draws on CMUdict.