In ancient geology and mythology, a strait or narrow passage; sometimes specifically refers to the Bosporus or similar waterway.
From ancient Greek and Latin texts, possibly relating to Absyrtus, a figure from Greek mythology whose name became associated with water passages. The term is essentially obsolete in modern English and appears primarily in historical texts.
Absyrtus was the brother of Medea in Greek mythology, and his name became attached to various straits and waterways in ancient literature. It's a word that shows how proper names from mythology sometimes turned into geographical terms in older writing.
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