Jerusalem

[ji-roo-suh-luhm, -zuh-]

noun

1. a city in Israel: an ancient holy city and a center of pilgrimage for Jews, Christians, and Muslims; divided between Israel and Jordan 1948–67; Jordanian sector annexed by Israel 1967; Israel's capital since 1950 (but not recognized as such by the international community).

Jerusalem

/ dʒəˈruːsələm /

noun

1. the de facto capital of Israel (recognition of this has been withheld by the United Nations), situated in the Judaean hills: became capital of the Hebrew kingdom after its capture by David around 1000 _bc ; destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon in 586 _bc ; taken by the Romans in 63 _bc ; devastated in 70 _ad and 135 _ad during the Jewish rebellions against Rome; fell to the Arabs in 637 and to the Seljuk Turks in 1071; ruled by Crusaders from 1099 to 1187 and by the Egyptians and Turks until conquered by the British (1917); centre of the British mandate of Palestine from 1920 to 1948, when the Arabs took the old city and the Jews held the new city; unified after the Six Day War (1967) under the Israelis; the holy city of Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Pop: 693 200 (2003 est)

2. 1. Christianity Heaven

   2. any ideal city

Jerusalem

¹

1. A holy city for Jews (see also Jews), Christians (see also Christian), and Muslims; the capital of the ancient kingdom of Judah and of the modern state of Israel. The name means “city of peace.” Jerusalem is often called Zion; Mount Zion is the hill on which the fortress of the city was built.

Jerusalem

²

1. Capital of Israel and largest city in the country, located on a ridge west of the Dead Sea and the Jordan River (see also Jordan River). (See also under “The Bible.”)

Jerusalem and places nearby are the scenes of crucial events in the life of Jesus. (See Bethlehem and Calvary.)

The “New Jerusalem” is mentioned in the Book of Revelation as the heavenly city, to be established at the end of time.

The city is famous for its many sacred sights and shrines, including the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and the Dome of the Rock.

The site of the city has been occupied since the Bronze Age.

Known as the “Holy City,” it is sacred to Jews (see also Jews), Christians (see also Christian), and Muslims.

Conquest of Jerusalem was the goal of the early Crusades during the Middle Ages.

It was the capital of the ancient Hebrew kingdom under the kings David and Solomon.

After the creation of the state of Israel in 1948, Jerusalem was divided between Israel and Jordan. Following the Arab-Israeli conflict of 1967, Israel annexed the remainder of the city.

Other Word Forms

• Jerusalemite adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of Jerusalem¹

First recorded in 1580–1600; from Latin Hierosolyma, from Greek Hierosólyma, from Hebrew Yĕrūshalayim “possession of peace” (traditional interpretation). The H- in the Greek form is not found in the Hebrew; the H- is due to the influence of the Greek adjective hierós “holy, sacred, supernatural.” The alternative Latin form Hierūsalem, from Greek Hierousalḗm, comes from Hebrew Yĕrūshalēm, which most likely represents the pronunciation of Yĕrūshalayim. The spelling Jerusalem is due to loss of the initial aspirate H-, in the spelling of the Latin Hierusalem, which becomes Ierusalem; the former short vowel i then becomes pronounced as the semivowel y in accordance with ordinary Latin usage

Example Sentences

Jesus refused to be the nationalistic leader many Jews wanted, as they demonstrated when they waved palm branches—a symbol of the previously successful Maccabean Revolt—at his entry into Jerusalem.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Insisting he was unbowed, he said the deaths would be “the fuel of victory, the path to Jerusalem and a stain that will forever haunt the occupation.”

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Humboldt University in Berlin have developed a way to capture nearly all the light emitted from tiny diamond defects known as color centers.

Read more on Science Daily

Outside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's residence in Jerusalem, people gathered to show their support for the families of the hostages.

Read more on BBC

The crossing - also known as the King Hussein Bridge - lies about halfway between Amman and Jerusalem and is the only official crossing point between the West Bank and Jordan.

Read more on BBC