Palestine

American  

[pal-uh-stahyn, pal-uh-steen] / ˈpæl əˌstaɪn, ˈpæl əˌstin /

noun

1. Biblical Name Canaan.  Also called Holy Land.  an ancient country in southwest Asia, on the east coast of the Mediterranean.

2. a disputed region made up of parts of an ancient country in southwest Asia, especially the Gaza Strip and the West Bank: a British mandate from 1923 to 1948; divided between Israel, Jordan, and Egypt in 1948; Jordanian and Egyptian parts occupied by Israel in 1967, with limited Palestinian self-administration beginning in 1994.

3. a city in eastern Texas.

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Palestine British  

/ ˈpælɪˌstaɪn /

noun

1. Also called: the Holy Land.   Canaan.  the area between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea in which most of the biblical narrative is located

2. the province of the Roman Empire in this region

3. the former British mandatory territory created by the League of Nations in 1922 (but effective from 1920), and including all of the present territories of Israel and Jordan between whom it was partitioned by the UN in 1948

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Palestine Cultural  

1. Historic region on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea, comprising parts of modern Israel, Jordan, and Egypt (see also Egypt).

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Known as the Holy Land, it is a place of pilgrimage for several religions, including Christianity, Islam, and Judaism.

Israel, the homeland of the Jews (see also Jews), was established in Palestine in 1948. The Palestine Liberation Organization, under Yasir Arafat, is committed to establishing a Palestinian state, which would include territory on the West Bank and Gaza Strip now partially occupied by Israel. (See Arab-Israeli conflict , intifada , Oslo Accord , Palestinian Authority .)

Etymology

Origin of Palestine

First recorded in 1540–60; from Latin Pal(a)estīna, Palaestīnē, from Greek Palaistī́nē; perhaps through Aramaic pəlishtāʾin (plural) “Philistines,” from Hebrew pĕlishtīm; see philistine ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Palestine

Palestine Action challenged the ban in the UK courts on the basis that it was "disproportionate" and had a "very significant" impact on human rights.

From Barron's ● Jul. 30, 2026

Air pollution, wildfire smoke, industrial disasters like the East Palestine, Ohio train wreck and extended pollen seasons are all reasons why people are increasingly concerned with making their indoor environments actually breathable.

From Salon ● Jul. 19, 2026

In 1917 the Bund had to choose between the Bolshevik Revolution and the Balfour Declaration, the British proposal for a Jewish “national home” in Palestine.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

At the time, Kil, who was then serving as a faculty advisor for Students for Justice in Palestine, told The Times that students disagreed with Blutinger’s views.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 30, 2026

He told me that before his heart attack he had been asked to go as a delegate to the Zionist General Council that was to meet in Palestine during the coming summer.

From "The Chosen" by Chaim Potok