Zionism

[ zahy-uh-niz-uhm ]

noun

1. a worldwide Jewish movement that resulted in the establishment and development of the state of Israel and that now supports the state of Israel as a Jewish homeland.

Zionism

/ ˈzaɪəˌnɪzəm /

noun

1. a political movement for the establishment and support of a national homeland for Jews in Palestine, now concerned chiefly with the development of the modern state of Israel
2. a policy or movement for Jews to return to Palestine from the Diaspora

Zionism

1. The belief that Jews (see also Jews ) should have their own nation; Jewish nationalism . Zionism gained much support among Jews and others in the early twentieth century, and the hoped-for nation was established in the late 1940s in Palestine , as the state of Israel . Zionism is opposed by most Arabs. ( See Arab-Israeli conflict .)

Derived Forms

• ˈZionist, nounadjective
• ˌZionˈistic, adjective

Other Words From

• Zi·on·ist noun adjective
• Zi·on·is·tic adjective
• Zi·on·ite [zahy, -, uh, nahyt], noun
• an·ti-Zi·on·ism noun
• an·ti-Zi·on·ist noun adjective
• non-Zi·on·ist noun adjective
• pro-Zi·on·ism noun
• pro-Zi·on·ist noun adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of Zionism¹

First recorded in 1895–1900; Zion + -ism

Example Sentences

You dedicated part of your book to covering Zionism—the belief that Jewish people deserve a state—and the dehumanization of Palestinians.

From Time

As Theodor Herzl, the father of modern Zionism, once said, "If you will it, it is no dream."

From The Daily Beast

It opposes global capitalism, European integration and Zionism.

From The Daily Beast

None of it has lessened my belief in Zionism or the imperative of Israel as a home and sanctuary for Jews.

From The Daily Beast

From the very beginning there was a substantial contradiction between Zionism and Lydda.

From The Daily Beast

By evening,” Shavit writes, “Zionism has taken the city of Lydda.

From The Daily Beast

Rather strange of Zangwill, who is himself not a realist and has gone in for Zionism, to like Ibsen so much.

From Project Gutenberg

Zionism, Socialism and Anarchism come up in turn, and so many trenchant and vital things are said on these subjects.

From Project Gutenberg

Zionism, as a movement, has brought to fruition much of the latent love of the young Jew for his people and his religion.

From Project Gutenberg

Indeed, until the time of Herzl all the most prominent protagonists of Zionism were Christians.

From Project Gutenberg

With the advent of Herzl, however, Zionism was no more a matter of domestic concern only.

From Project Gutenberg