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.

---

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

---

Palestine Cultural  

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

---

Discover More

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

The threats posed by Palestine Action had been the most important factor in the lawful decision-making, Baroness Carr said, including how the group clandestinely organised and targeted lawful businesses.

From BBC • Jun. 15, 2026

He had made his debut in a World Cup qualifier in June 2024 against Bangladesh and became the second-youngest scorer in the country's history when he netted against Palestine in just his second appearance.

From BBC • Jun. 14, 2026

Bourzgui, whose father immigrated to America from Morocco, went on to pay tribute to Palestine and his own Arab heritage.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026

“Without religion Palestine does not mean a thing,” he reportedly once told an American Zionist visitor.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2026

Occasionally he spoke of the importance of Palestine as a Jewish homeland, but mostly he was concerned about American Jewry and the need for teachers and rabbis.

From "The Chosen" by Chaim Potok