Israel

• (abbreviation) Isr.
• (misspelling) Isreal
• (surname): Yisrael
• (obsolete): Israhel

From Middle English Israel, from Old English, borrowed from Latin Israel, from Ancient Greek Ἰσραήλ (Israḗl), from Hebrew יִשְׂרָאֵל (yisra'él, “Israel”).^[1][2] In the Bible, it is said to be from the name יִשְׂרֶה אֵל (yisré 'él) given to Jacob in Genesis 32:29, after which his descendants came to be known as Israelites and their land as the "kingdom/land of Israel". The personal name, already attested in Eblaite 𒅖𒊏𒅋 (iš-ra-il) and Ugaritic 𐎊𐎌𐎗𐎛𐎍 (yšrỉl),^[3] has been variously translated as "he wrestles with God", "he prevails with God",^[4] or "God rules" (possibly from the same root ש־ר־ה/ש־ר־ר as שָׂרָה (“Sarah”)).^[5]

Line 27 of the Merneptah Stele (from about 1200 B.C.E.) is thought to contain the earliest attestation of the name Israel in any language, Egyptian ysrjꜣr.

Doublet of Yisroel.

• enPR: ĭzʹrā-əl, ĭzʹrē-əl; IPA^(key): /ˈɪz.ɹeɪ.əl/, /ˈɪz.ɹi.əl/

  (US) enPR: ĭzʹrāl; IPA^(key): /ˈɪz.ɹeɪl/

  (formal and posh RP) enPR: ĭzʹrā-ĕl; IPA^(key): /ˈɪz.ɹeɪ.ɛl/

  (in singing also) enPR: ĭzʹrī-ĕl; IPA^(key): /ˈɪz.ɹaɪ.ɛl/

  (certain Carolina accents) IPA^(key): /ˈɪz.ɹɛəl/

• Audio (UK):

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• Audio (US):

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• Audio (US):

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Israel (countable and uncountable, plural Israels)

2. A country in Western Asia in the Middle East, at the eastern shore of the Mediterranean. Official name: State of Israel.

   Synonyms: State of Israel (official name), Israhell (derogatory), Jewsrael (derogatory), Jewish state, Zionistan (derogatory), Isn'treal (derogatory), Zionist entity (derogatory), Jewish colony (derogatory), Zionist state (derogatory)

   • 1986 June 5, Joe Biden, 01:27:00 from the start, in Senate Session‎^[2], C-SPAN:

     If we look at the Middle East, I think it’s about time we stop those of us, who support – as most of us do – Israel in this body, for apologizing for our support for Israel. There is no apology to be made. None. It is the best $3 billion investment we make. Were there not an Israel, the United States of America would have to invent an Israel to protect her interest in the region; the United States would have to go out and invent an Israel.

   • 2019 December 3, Ruth Wisse, 31:04 from the start, in Global Anti-Semitism: A New or Old Phenomenon? (Natan Sharansky and Ruth Wisse in Conversation)‎^[3], Jewish Broadcasting Service:

     And you know how we train for the army? We don’t train for defensive warfare. If the war against Israel ever had to be fought on Israeli soil – do I have to tell you? –, it’s an impossibility. So it’s the same thing. Don’t let the war of words ever be fought about Israel’s nature!

   • 2023 October 18, “We’re anti-Zionist Jews and we see genocide unfolding in Gaza”, in The Guardian‎^[4], →ISSN:

     With Western support, Israel is plunging headfirst into slaughter.

4. (biblical) A Biblical region of Western Asia roughly coextensive with the modern State of Israel, known in the Bible as the Land of Israel and considered the ancestral homeland of the Jewish people.
6. (historical) An ancient kingdom in Western Asia, roughly coextensive with the modern State of Israel and the Land of Israel.

   Synonyms: Land of Israel, Palestine, Holy Land, Canaan

8. (historical) An ancient kingdom that occupied the northern part of the Land of Israel and modern State of Israel, as distinct from Judah.
9. (poetic, liturgical) The Jews as a people, taken collectively.

   Synonyms: Children of Israel, Israelites, Jewry, Zion

   • 2024 August 24 (last accessed), My Jewish learning, The Shema‎^[5]:

     Hear O’ Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One

   • 2024 August 24 (last accessed), My Jewish learning, The Shema‎^[6]:

     For our ancestors, for us, for our children, for every generation of the people Israel, for all ages from the first to the last, His teachings are true, everlasting.

10. A male given name from Hebrew.
    • 2016 September 1, Carl Hoffman, “The project that could help determine Israel's future”, in The Jerusalem Post‎^[7], archived from the original on 4 February 2022:

      IF VOLFER is happy, Transportation Minister Israel Katz seems almost jubilant.

    1. Another name for Jacob, notably after Genesis 32:28 and in later references.
       • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Genesis 32:28:

         And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

11. A surname.
13. A barangay of Imelda, Zamboanga Sibugay, Philippines.

    Synonym: Balian Israel — old name

    • 2015 June, “The Municipality of Imelda receives checks for the completion of their water system project”, in DILG IX‎^[8]:

      These are intended for the completion of the Construction of Level II Water System Project for barangays Mt. View, Little Baguio and Israel under the BuB-Water and Construction of Brgy. Bulongisan-Canaan Level II Water Supply under the SALINTUBIG Program.

• (region): The use of Israel to refer to the region between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea in a non-historical sense is (since the latter half of the 20th century) politically charged; indeed, this is true of all terms for this region.

• → Japanese: イスラエル (Isuraeru)
• → Pohnpeian: Israel, Isrehl

• Appendix:Countries of the world

• Irving (surname used to anglicize Israel)
• Zion, Judea

• Israel on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

• Ariels, Lieras, serial, serail, railes, resail, Sal Rei, ariels, Realis, sailer, Isreal, relais, Alires, Sailer, realis

Inherited from Dutch Israël, from Middle Dutch israel, from Old Dutch israel, from Latin Isrāēl, from Ancient Greek Ἰσρᾱήλ (Isrāḗl), from Biblical Hebrew יִשְׂרָאֵל.

Israel

1. Israel (a country in Western Asia in the Middle East, at the eastern shore of the Mediterranean)

• IPA^(key): /israˈel/ [iz.raˈel]
• Rhymes: -el
• Syllabification: Is‧ra‧el

Israel m

1. Israel (a country in Western Asia in the Middle East, at the eastern shore of the Mediterranean)

• israelín

• IPA^(key): (Northern) [iz.rəˈe̞l]
• IPA^(key): (Balearic, Central) [iz.rəˈɛl]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia, Northwestern) [iz.raˈɛl]

• Audio (Valencia):

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Israel m

1. Israel (a country in Western Asia in the Middle East, at the eastern shore of the Mediterranean)
2. a male given name, equivalent to English Israel

• israelià

Israel

1. Israel (a country in Western Asia in the Middle East, at the eastern shore of the Mediterranean)

Israel

1. Israel (a country in Western Asia in the Middle East, at the eastern shore of the Mediterranean)

Inherited from Spanish Israel.

• Hyphenation: Is‧ra‧el

Israel

1. Israel (a country in Western Asia in the Middle East, at the eastern shore of the Mediterranean)

Israel

1. Israel (a country in Western Asia in the Middle East, at the eastern shore of the Mediterranean)

• israeler
• israelsk

• israelit
• israelitisk

From Biblical Hebrew יִשְׂרָאֵל (yisra'él).

• IPA^(key): /ˈisrɑel/, [ˈis̠rɑ̝e̞l]
• Rhymes: -isrɑel
• Syllabification^(key): Is‧ra‧el
• Hyphenation^(key): Is‧ra‧el

Israel

1. Israel (a country in Western Asia in the Middle East, at the eastern shore of the Mediterranean)
2. (uncommon) a male given name

• israelilainen

• laseri

• Israël (obsolete)

Latin Israel, Ancient Greek Ἰσραήλ (Israḗl)

• IPA^(key): [ˈiːsʁaʔeːl]
• IPA^(key): [ˈɪsʁaʔeːl] (less common)

• Audio:

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• Audio (Germany (Berlin)):

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• Hyphenation: Is‧ra‧el

Israel

1. (biblical) Israel, another name of the patriarch Jacob
   • 1912, Lutherbibel 1912, 1.Mose 32, 29 (Luther Bible 1912, Genesis 32:29):

     Er sprach: Du sollst nicht mehr Jakob heißen, sondern Israel; denn du hast mit Gott und mit Menschen gekämpft und bist obgelegen.

     And he said: Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel; for thou hast power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

Israel n (proper noun, genitive Israels or (optionally with an article) Israel)

1. Israel (a country in Western Asia in the Middle East, at the eastern shore of the Mediterranean; official name: Staat Israel)

• “Israel”, in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache‎^[9] (in German)
• “Israel” in Duden online

Borrowed from Brazilian Portuguese Israel.^[1]

• IPA^(key): /israˈeːl/
• Rhymes: -eːl
• Syllabification: Is‧ra‧el

Israel n (demonym Israëlitt)

1. Israel (a country in Western Asia in the Middle East, at the eastern shore of the Mediterranean)

Borrowed from English Israel.

• IPA^(key): /israel/

Israel

1. Israel (a country in Western Asia in the Middle East, at the eastern shore of the Mediterranean)

Israel

1. Israeli

From Dutch Israël, from Middle Dutch israel, from Old Dutch israel, from Latin Isrāēl, from Ancient Greek Ἰσρᾱήλ (Isrāḗl), from Biblical Hebrew יִשְׂרָאֵל. Doublet of Israil.

• IPA^(key): [ɪsˈrael]
• Hyphenation: Is‧ra‧él

Israel

1. Israel:
   1. a country in Western Asia in the Middle East, at the eastern shore of the Mediterranean
   2. (biblical) A Biblical region of Western Asia roughly coextensive with the modern State of Israel, known in the Bible as the Land of Israel and considered the ancestral homeland of the Jewish people
   3. (historical) an ancient kingdom in Western Asia, roughly coextensive with the modern State of Israel and the Land of Israel
   4. (historical) an ancient kingdom that occupied the northern part of the Land of Israel and modern State of Israel, as distinct from Judah
   5. the Jews, taken collectively

      Synonym: Yahudi

• “Israel”, in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia [Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language] (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016

• IPA^(key): /israˈel/

Israel

1. (all senses) Israel

• Isrāhēl, Isdrāhēl, Istrāhēl
• Israël

Borrowed from Koine Greek Ἰσρᾱήλ (Isrāḗl), from Biblical Hebrew יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yiśrāʾēl). The spelling Istrāhēl, from Ἰστρᾱήλ (Istrāḗl), was predominant until the dissemination of Jerome’s Vulgate (5th century CE), which popularized Isrāhēl. The h was gradually lost thereafter.^[1]

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [ɪsˈraː.eːɫ]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [isˈraː.el]

Isrāēl m sg (genitive Isrāēl or Isrāēlis); indeclinable, variously declined, third declension

1. (Late Latin, Ecclesiastical Latin) Israel, another name of the patriarch Jacob
   • c. 347 CE – 420 CE, Hieronymus, Vulgate Genesis.32.28:

     At ille: Nequaquam, inquit, Iacob appellabitur nomen tuum, sed Israhel: quoniam si contra Deum fortis fuisti quanto magis contra homines praevalebis.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

2. (New Latin) Israel (a country in Western Asia in the Middle East, at the eastern shore of the Mediterranean)

Indeclinable noun or third-declension noun, singular only.

• “Israel”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press

• irael, Irael, israhel, yrael, Yrael
• Israæl, Issraæl (Ormulum); Iraelle, Israele, Israhell, ysrail (Late Middle English)

From Old English Israhēl and Old French Israel, from Latin Israel, from Ancient Greek Ἰσραήλ (Israḗl), from the Biblical Hebrew יִשְׂרָאֵל (yisra'él).

• IPA^(key): /ˌizraˈɛːl/, /ˈizra.ɛl/, /ˌiːraˈɛːl/, /ˈiːra.ɛl/

Israel

1. The Land of Israel; the historical region of Israel.
2. The ancient Kingdom of Israel.
3. Any polity in the region of Israel (e.g. the Kingdom of Jerusalem or Kingdom of Judah)
4. (rare) Christendom; the body of Christian believers.

• English: Israel (see there for further descendants)
• Middle Scots: Israel
  • Scots: Israel

• “Israēl, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

The traditional European biblical form was transmitted through Latin Israel (“Israel”), from Ancient Greek Ἰσραήλ (Israḗl, “Israel”), from Biblical Hebrew יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yiśrāʾēl, “Israel”).

In the Bible, the name is given to the patriarch Jacob after he wrestles with God. It was subsequently applied to his descendants, the Israelite people, and their land; the modern state, established in 1948, took its name from this biblical usage. The Hebrew name has traditionally been interpreted as “God strives, fights” or “God rules”.

Compare Norwegian Nynorsk Israel, Danish Israel, Swedish Israel, German Israel and English Israel.

• IPA^(key): /ˈiːs.ra.əl/
• Rhymes: -iːsraəl
• Hyphenation: Is‧ra‧el

Israel

1. a country in Western Asia, Middle East, at the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea
2. (biblical) another name for the patriarch Jacob
3. (biblical) the Israelites collectively
4. (biblical, historical) the land associated with the Israelites; the Land of Israel
5. a male given name from Latin [in turn from Ancient Greek, in turn from Biblical Hebrew], equivalent to English Israel

• As a male given name, Israel was historically most common in Finnmark during the 19th century. In the period 1900–2017, about 20 men born in Norway had it as their sole or first given name.^[1]

• israeler (“Israeli, inhabitant of Israel”)
• israelsk (“Israeli”)

• israelitt (“Israelite”)
• israelittisk (“Israelite, Israelitic”)

• “Israel” in Store norske leksikon.
• “Israel” at Nordic Names.
• Israel (name) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Israel (mannsnavn) on the Norwegian Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^no

Israel

1. Israel (a country in Western Asia in the Middle East, at the eastern shore of the Mediterranean)

• israelar
• israelsk

• israelitt
• israelittisk

• Irael, Irrael, Isrrael, Jsrrael, Yrrael, Ysrael

Learned borrowing from Ecclesiastical Latin Israel, borrowed from Koine Greek Ἰσρᾱήλ (Isrāḗl), borrowed from Biblical Hebrew יִשְׂרָאֵל.

Israel m

1. (biblical) Israel (a Biblical region of Western Asia roughly coextensive with the modern State of Israel, known in the Bible as the Land of Israel and considered the ancestral homeland of the Jewish people)
2. (biblical) Israel (another name for Jacob)

• Galician: Israel
• Portuguese: Israel (see there for further descendants)

• Barreiro, Xavier Varela; Guinovart, Xavier Gómez (2006–2018), “Israel”, in Corpus Xelmírez: corpus lingüístico da Galicia medieval [Corpus Xelmírez: linguistic corpus of Medieval Galicia] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega

Israel n

1. Israel (a country in Western Asia in the Middle East, at the eastern shore of the Mediterranean)

• Isrehl

Borrowed from English Israel.

• IPA^(key): /isʲ.rɐ.(j)ɛl/

Israel

1. Israel (a country in Western Asia in the Middle East, at the eastern shore of the Mediterranean)

• “Israel”, in New Pohnpeian-English Online Dictionary‎^[10], Honolulu, HI: University of Hawaiʻi

Inherited from Old Galician-Portuguese Israel, a learned borrowing from Ecclesiastical Latin Israel, borrowed from Koine Greek Ἰσρᾱήλ (Isrāḗl), borrowed from Biblical Hebrew יִשְׂרָאֵל.

• Rhymes: (Portugal) -ɛl, (Brazil) -ɛw
• Hyphenation: Is‧ra‧el

Israel m (plural Israéis)

1. Israel (a country in Western Asia in the Middle East, at the eastern shore of the Mediterranean; official name: Estado de Israel)
2. (biblical) Israel (a Biblical region of Western Asia roughly coextensive with the modern State of Israel, known in the Bible as the Land of Israel and considered the ancestral homeland of the Jewish people)
3. a male given name, equivalent to English Israel

Israel is never indicated by an article; see usage notes for Portugal.

• → Hunsrik: Israel

Borrowed from Hebrew ישראל.

• IPA^(key): /is.ra.ˈel/

• Audio:

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Israel n

1. Israel (a country in Western Asia in the Middle East, at the eastern shore of the Mediterranean)

• IPA^(key): /israˈel/ [iz.raˈel]

• Audio (Spain):

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• Rhymes: -el
• Syllabification: Is‧ra‧el
• (Latin America) IPA^(key): [iz.ʐaˈel], (/ɾ/ realized as [ʐ] after /s/)

Israel m

1. Israel (a country in Western Asia in the Middle East, at the eastern shore of the Mediterranean)
   • 2025 July 14, Jeremy Diamond and Kareem Khadder, ““¿Por qué no previenen el terrorismo de los colonos?”: Palestinos denuncian a las FDI tras brutal muerte de un estadounidense”, in CNN en Español‎^[11]:

     Dijo que colonos y soldados impidieron que las ambulancias llegaran a Musallet durante horas, hasta que apareció un vehículo con oficiales de COGAT, el Coordinador de Actividades Gubernamentales de Israel en los Territorios, y accedió a escoltarlo.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

2. Jacob
   • 1602, Casiodoro de Reina, La Santa Biblia, rev., Genesis 32:28:

     Y él dijo: No se dirá más tu nombre Jacob, sino Israel: porque has peleado con Dios y con los hombres, y has vencido.

     And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

     (KJV)

3. a male given name from Hebrew, equivalent to English Israel

• liarse, raíles

• IPA^(key): /²iːsˌrɛːl/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: Is‧rael

Israel n (genitive Israels)

1. Israel (a country in Western Asia in the Middle East, at the eastern shore of the Mediterranean)

• israel
• israelit

• “Israel”, in Svenska Akademiens ordlista [Wordlist of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish)
• Svensk MeSH

Borrowed from Spanish Israel (“Israel”), from Latin Israel, from Ancient Greek Ἰσραήλ (Israḗl), from Hebrew יִשְׂרָאֵל (yisra'él, “Israel”).

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ʔisɾaˈʔel/ [ʔɪs.ɾɐˈʔɛl]
• Rhymes: -el
• Syllabification: Is‧ra‧el

Israél (Baybayin spelling ᜁᜐ᜔ᜇᜁᜎ᜔)

1. Israel (a country in Western Asia in the Middle East, at the eastern shore of the Mediterranean)
2. (biblical) Israel (a Biblical region of Western Asia roughly coextensive with the modern State of Israel, known in the Bible as the Land of Israel and considered the ancestral homeland of the Jewish people)
3. a male given name, equivalent to English Israel

• “Israel”, in Pambansang Diksiyonaryo | Diksiyonaryo.ph, 2018

Latin Israel, from Koine Greek Ἰσρᾱήλ (Isrāḗl), from Biblical Hebrew יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yiśrāʾēl).

• (North Wales) IPA^(key): /ˈɪsraɨ̯l/
• (South Wales) IPA^(key): /ˈɪzrai̯l/

Israel f

1. Israel (a country in Western Asia in the Middle East, at the eastern shore of the Mediterranean)

• Gwladwriaeth Israel (“State of Israel”)
• Israelaidd (“Israeli”, adjective)
• Israeliad (“Israelite; Israeli”, noun)