ISIS

n. Stands for Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. A violent militant group that controlled parts of the Middle East.

n. Abbreviation for Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. A Salafist jihadist group and former unrecognised proto-state that follows a fundamentalist doctrine.

“The news report discussed the rise and fall of ISIS in the region.”

“International coalitions were formed to counter the territorial expansion of ISIS across the Levant during the mid-2010s.”

n. an ancient Egyptian goddess of magic and motherhood, often shown with a throne on her head.

n. a major goddess in ancient Egyptian religion whose worship spread throughout the Greco-Roman world as the ideal mother and wife.

“The temple was built to honour the goddess Isis and her husband Osiris.”

“The cult of Isis became remarkably popular in the Roman Empire, with sanctuaries dedicated to her found as far north as Britain.”

Formal

n. the name used for the River Thames as it flows through the city of Oxford in England.

n. the local name for the River Thames between its source and its confluence with the Thame at Dorchester.

“The university rowing teams practice on the Isis every morning.”

“The annual regatta on the Isis attracts spectators from across the county to watch the college crews compete.”

British English · Dialect

n. a type of coral that has hard white parts joined by flexible dark parts.

n. any gorgonian coral of the genus Isis, characterised by a jointed axis of stony calcareous nodes and horny internodes.

“The scientist studied the growth patterns of Isis coral in the deep ocean.”

“The skeletal structure of the genus Isis is unique among octocorals for its alternating segments of calcium carbonate and proteinaceous material.”

Technical