Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
Isthmus of Corinth

Isthmus of Corinth

8.1
A narrow strip of land that connects the Peloponnese to mainland Greece and has the Corinth Canal
  • proper noun
translation icon : Istmo de Corinto
  • Ships can travel more quickly between the Aegean and Ionian seas by crossing the Isthmus of Corinth via the canal.

Examples

  • The Isthmus of Corinth has been a strategic passageway since ancient times.

  • Tourists often visit the Isthmus of Corinth to see both natural scenery and the famous canal.

  • The Isthmus of Corinth is a vital geographical feature.

  • Many tourists visit the Isthmus of Corinth each year.

  • Ships can travel more quickly between the Aegean and Ionian seas by crossing the Isthmus of Corinth via the canal.

  • The Isthmus of Corinth has been a strategic passageway since ancient times.

  • Tourists often visit the Isthmus of Corinth to see both natural scenery and the famous canal.

Surface Forms

Isthmus of Corinth main

Morphology

isthmus + of + Corinth

The name combines the noun 'isthmus' (narrow land bridge) with the place name 'Corinth' and the relational preposition 'of', so the referent — the narrow strip of land at/near Corinth — is directly compositional. This geographic naming pattern is cross-linguistically common, so a learner who knows the constituent words would readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

The place name Isthmus of Corinth comes from an old Greek word meaning 'neck' of land. An isthmus is a thin strip that joins two larger lands and separates two seas, so people used it as an easy 'passage' and later cut a canal there.