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

• 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

Standing next to the blown-out windows and cracked walls of her apartment in Tel Aviv, Liat Zvi voices an exasperation many Israelis say they feel.

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026

Yehuda Bandel, a 70-year-old retired teacher living in a suburb of the coastal city of Tel Aviv, felt the same joy.

From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026

Pedaling down the beach during a pink-hued Tel Aviv dusk, he tells his infant son in the baby seat to give up.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

On the highway from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, American flags now hang alongside Israeli ones – a public sign of appreciation for US involvement in fighting Iran.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

The wheels kick up a bit of dust, and I can't tell whether it's the aridness or his hastiness to get to Tel Aviv.

From "What the Night Sings" by Vesper Stamper