Palestine
[ pal-uh-stahyn for 1, 2; pal-uh-steen for 3 ]
/ ˈpæl əˌstaɪn for 1, 2; ˈpæl əˌstin for 3 /
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noun
Also called Ho·ly Land. Biblical name Canaan. an ancient country in southwest Asia, on the east coast of the Mediterranean.
a former British mandate (1923–48) comprising part of this country, divided between Israel, Jordan, and Egypt in 1948: the Jordanian and Egyptian parts were occupied by Israel in 1967. In 1994 Israel reverted the Egyptian part (the Gaza Strip) to Palestinian self-rule.
a city in eastern Texas.
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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
Words nearby Palestine
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use Palestine in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for Palestine
Palestine
/ (ˈpælɪˌstaɪn) /
noun
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
the province of the Roman Empire in this region
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
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Cultural definitions for Palestine
Palestine
Historic region on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea, comprising parts of modern Israel, Jordan, and Egypt (see also Egypt).
notes for Palestine
Known as the Holy Land, it is a place of pilgrimage for several religions, including Christianity, Islam, and Judaism.
notes for Palestine
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.)
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.