Tel Aviv

American  

[tel uh-veev] / ˌtɛl əˈviv /

noun

1. a city in west central Israel: one of the centers of Jewish immigration following World War II. International embassies are located in the city.

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Tel Aviv British  

/ ˈtɛl əˈviːv /

noun

1. Official name: Tel Aviv-Jaffa.  a city in W Israel, on the Mediterranean: the largest city and chief financial centre of Israel; incorporated the city of Jaffa in 1950; university (1953): regarded by the international community as the capital of Israel, though most functions of the capital operate from Jerusalem. Pop: 363 400 (2003 est)

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• Tel Avivian
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of Tel Aviv

First recorded in 1915–20; from Hebrew tel “mound, hill, heap” + ābhībh “spring” (the season, symbol of renewal)

Example Sentences

“Just in case I lose, they gave me the number to call. The area code is Tel Aviv though.”

From Slate • May 19, 2026

Musk, speaking virtually at the Samson International Smart Mobility Summit in Tel Aviv, was asked to describe an exciting breakthrough technology that he’s working on and that people “aren’t talking about enough.”

From MarketWatch • May 18, 2026

“The cooperation between the two countries is dramatic and deepening,” said Yoel Guzansky, a senior fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies, a think tank based in Tel Aviv.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 30, 2026

Earlier in 2024, Khalid was detained at a protest in Tel Aviv, Israel, for making inappropriate remarks towards a female police officer, but later released.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

Private radio with a direct line to London, New York, Tel Aviv and many other stations.

From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank