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Definition of israeli

israeli

/ɪzˈreɪ.li/
Is · rae · li
Plural:Israelis
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israeli Lexical Profile

• adjective

1

Of, relating to, or characteristic of the modern State of Israel, its people, or its culture.

Example

"The festival featured contemporary Israeli music, literature, and culinary traditions."

• noun

1

A native, citizen, or inhabitant of the modern State of Israel, or a person of Israeli descent.

Example

"Several Israelis participated in the international scientific conference held in Geneva."

Word Nuance & Usage

"Israeli" refers specifically to citizens or things of the modern State of Israel (established in 1948), whereas "Israelite" refers to a member of the ancient Hebrew nation in biblical and historical contexts.

• Rhymes for israeli

• Nearby Words

isotoma
isotonic
israel
israeli
issuance
issue
issuer

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed from Modern Hebrew "Yisre'eli", formed from "Yisra'el" (Israel) and the gentilic suffix "-i", adopted into English upon the founding of the modern State of Israel in 1948.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Israeli. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/israeli
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