Israel

American  

[iz-ree-uhl, -rey-] / ˈɪz ri əl, -reɪ- /

noun

1. a republic in southwest Asia, on the Mediterranean: formed as a Jewish state May 1948. 7,984 sq. mi. (20,679 sq. km). Jerusalem (but not recognized by the international community).

2. the people traditionally descended from the Biblical Jacob; the Hebrew or Jewish people.

3. (in the Bible) a name given to Jacob after he had wrestled with an angel.

4. the northern kingdom of the ancient Hebrews, including 10 of the 12 tribes, sometimes called by the name of the chief tribe, Ephraim. Samaria.

5. a group considered by its members or by others as God's chosen people.

6. a male given name.

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Israel British  

/ -rɪəl, ˈɪzreɪəl /

noun

1. a republic in SW Asia, on the Mediterranean Sea: established in 1948, in the former British mandate of Palestine, as a primarily Jewish state; 8 disputes with Arab neighbours (who did not recognize the state of Israel), erupted into full-scale wars in 1948, 1956, 1967 (the Six Day War), and 1973 (the Yom Kippur War). In 1993 Israel agreed to grant autonomous status to the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, according to the terms of a peace agreement with the PLO. Official languages: Hebrew and Arabic. Religion: Jewish majority, Muslim and Christian minorities. Currency: shekel. Capital: Jerusalem (international recognition withheld as East Jerusalem was annexed (1967) by Israel: UN recognized capital: Tel Aviv). Pop: 7 707 042 (2013 est). Area (including Golan Heights and East Jerusalem): 21 946 sq km (8473 sq miles)

2. 1. the ancient kingdom of the 12 Hebrew tribes at the SE end of the Mediterranean

   2. the kingdom in the N part of this region formed by the ten northern tribes of Israel in the 10th century _bc and destroyed by the Assyrians in 721 _bc

3. informal the Jewish community throughout the world

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Israel ¹ Cultural  

1. The name given to Jacob after he wrestled with God. Israel is also the name of the northern kingdom of the Israelites, when their nation was split in two after the death of King Solomon. (See under “World Geography.”)

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Israel ² Cultural  

1. Republic in the Middle East, formerly part of Palestine. Israel is bordered by Lebanon to the north, Syria and Jordan to the east, the Gulf of Aqaba (an arm of the Red Sea) to the south, Egypt (see also Egypt) to the southwest, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Its capital and largest city is Jerusalem (see also Jerusalem).

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Discover More

Periodic Palestinian intifadas against Israeli domination of the West Bank and Gaza Strip continue.

The state of Israel, a homeland for Jews (see also Jews) worldwide, was proclaimed in 1948. Since then, conflict has arisen because of opposition by the surrounding Arab peoples to the formation of a Jewish state on what they consider Arab territory (see Arab-Israeli conflict).

The United States has been Israel's major supporter, but Israeli settlements on the West Bank strained U.S.-Israel relations.

As a move toward permanent peace between Israel and the Arab states, Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat met with U. S. President James Earl Carter in the United States and signed a peace treaty in 1979.

Other Word Forms

• anti-Israel adjective
• pro-Israel adjective

Etymology

Origin of Israel

First recorded before 1000; Middle English, Old English, from Latin Isrāēl, from Greek Isrāḗl, from Hebrew Yisrā'ēl literally, “God perseveres”

Example Sentences

While so-called "Jewish terrorism" has drawn widespread condemnation both in Israel and abroad, little has been done to curb it.

From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026

Ever since the U.S. and Israel started the war, the IEA had been anticipating global oil supply to be slashed by 8 million barrels a day in March, or almost 250 million barrels in total.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 2, 2026

On the eve of the 12-day war, Israel believed Iran had 2,500 or 3,000 ballistic missiles and would soon be able to mass-produce more.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026

It has been just one month since the U.S. and Israel first attacked Iran.

From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026

Bat waited for Israel to say more, but he didn’t.

From "A Boy Called Bat" by Elana K. Arnold