What does "israel" mean?
A country in Western Asia in the Middle East, at the eastern shore of the Mediterranean. Official name: State of Israel.
Israel
/ˈɪz.ɹeɪ.əl/ name
name ·Uncommon ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A country in Western Asia in the Middle East, at the eastern shore of the Mediterranean. Official name: State of Israel.
- Grammar: israel is listed as name.
- Nearest alternatives: canaan, congress, isn'treal, israeli state.
- Useful contrasts: Gentile.
- Usage evidence: But the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.
How to use "israel"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "israel" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "israel" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "israel" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "israel" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "israel" is acting as name in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "canaan" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "israel", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Proper Noun
- 1 A country in Western Asia in the Middle East, at the eastern shore of the Mediterranean. Official name: State of Israel. countable, uncountable
"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."
- 2 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. countable, uncountable
- 3 An ancient kingdom in Western Asia, roughly coextensive with the modern State of Israel and the Land of Israel. countable, historical, uncountable
- 4 An ancient kingdom that occupied the northern part of the Land of Israel and modern State of Israel, as distinct from Judah. countable, historical, uncountable
- 5 The Jews as a people, taken collectively. countable, poetic, uncountable
"Hear O’ Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One"
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 A male given name from Hebrew. countable, uncountable
"IF VOLFER is happy, Transportation Minister Israel Katz seems almost jubilant."
- 7 A male given name from Hebrew.; Another name for Jacob, notably after Genesis 32:28 and in later references. countable, uncountable
"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."
- 8 A surname. countable, uncountable
- 9 A barangay of Imelda, Zamboanga Sibugay, Philippines. countable, uncountable
"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."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"But the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "israel"?
Common synonyms include: canaan, congress, isn'treal, israeli state, israelite people, israhell.
How do you use "israel" in a sentence?
But the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.
How do you pronounce "israel"?
Pronounced /ˈɪz.ɹeɪ.əl/.
Etymology
From Middle English Israel, from Old English, borrowed from Latin Israel, from Ancient Greek Ἰσραήλ (Israḗl), from Hebrew יִשְׂרָאֵל (yisra'él, “Israel”). In the Bible, it is said to be from the name יִשְׂרֶה אֵל (yisré 'él) given to Jacob in he:T: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), has been variously translated as "he wrestles with God", "he prevails with God", or "God rules" (possibly from the same root ש־ר־ה/ש־ר־ר as שָׂרָה (“Sarah”)). 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. : i-i-z:Z1s*Z1s:r-i-A-r:Z1*T14-A1*B1:Z2 Doublet of Yisroel.