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Spell Bee Word: isthmus


Basic Details

Word: Isthmus

Part of Speech: Noun

Meaning: A narrow strip of land, with sea on both sides, that joins two larger areas of land.

How to Spell Isthmus

Syllables: isth - mus

Tricky part: The th is usually silent: most people say iss-mus. Many students leave out the t and h and write ismus, or change the ending to mas.

Watch out for: ismus, isthmas, isthmous, istmus

Memory tip: Write it as three small pieces: is + th + mus. The th is written even though you hardly hear it.

Usage Examples

Example 1: From the plane, the isthmus looked like a thin brown thread between two blue patches of sea.

Example 2: Our geography map showed an isthmus joining the island to the mainland.

Example 3: The Corinth Canal cuts straight through the Isthmus of Corinth in Greece.

Fun Fact

The Panama Canal, opened in 1914, was dug across the Isthmus of Panama so that ships could sail between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans without going all the way round South America.

Practise the CREST Way

Spell-o-Spell

Choose the correctly spelt word:

a) plateu
b) penninsula
c) archipelego
d) isthmus

Show answer

d) isthmus. Peninsula has one n in the middle, archipelago ends in ago, and plateau ends in eau.

Word Cookie

Insert the correct pair of letters to form a word:

is_hm_s

a) d, u
b) s, o
c) t, u
d) t, a

Show answer

c) t, u. The silent t comes before the h, and the word ends in mus.

Mingle-Mangle

Form a meaningful word from the jumbled letters:

mushtis

a) isthmian
b) isthmus
c) asthma
d) thymus

Show answer

b) isthmus. The mus ending is sitting at the very start of the jumble; put i, s, t and h in front of it.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What is an isthmus?

a) a high flat area of land
b) a narrow strip of land joining two larger areas
c) a group of islands
d) a large body of salt water

Show answer

b) a narrow strip of land joining two larger areas

2. Which word names a narrow strip of sea between two pieces of land, the watery partner of an isthmus?

a) plateau
b) strait
c) delta
d) peninsula

Show answer

b) strait

Associated Words

efficacydefiantadmissioncasualtyaccuracy
ridiculousreligiousallowedamendmyth

Next steps

How to participate in CREST International Spell Bee

The CREST International Spell Bee (CSB) is conducted in two editions – CREST International Spell Bee - Summer (CSB) and CREST International Spell Bee - Winter (CSBW) – giving students across the globe an opportunity to showcase and enhance their spelling proficiency. Designed for young learners from Senior KG to Class 8, the competition focuses on word-building, pronunciation, and vocabulary enrichment, helping students develop strong linguistic skills.

Steps to Participate:

Step 1: Visit the registration page and complete the registration with your desired subject.

Step 2: After Registration done, do login at www.crestolympiads.com/login.

Step 3: After login, go to dashboard and click on Book slot/Take Exam

Step 4: Schedule your exam date and preferred time.

Step 5: Log in with your credentials on the exam day at the scheduled time and take the exam.

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