israelite

IPA/ˈɪzrəlaɪt/
IPA/ˈɪzriəlaɪt/

israelite — noun

  • israelitesingular
  • Israelitesplural

1. a member of the ancient Hebrew people who lived in the land of Canaan (later cal

1.nounB2
Definition

a member of the ancient Hebrew people who lived in the land of Canaan (later called Israel) and whose history is told in the Bible and other historical sources

Example

The Israelites crossed the Jordan River into Canaan, as described in the Bible.

often used in historical or biblical contexts

Archaeologists found pottery shards that match early Israelite settlement patterns.

collocation: 'early Israelite settlement'

Common collocations
  • ancient Israelites
  • early Israelites
  • biblical Israelites
  • the Israelites wandered
  • Israelite settlement
  • Israelite tribes
Synonyms
  • Hebrew

    broader ancestral term that includes the pre-settlement period (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob) before the 12 tribes settled in Canaan

  • Jew

    later historical term — after the Babylonian exile and the Persian period, 'Jew' (from Judah) became the standard term; 'Israelite' is reserved for the earlier period

Usage Note

The plural form 'Israelites' is far more common than the singular. This term refers specifically to the ancient people described in the Bible; use 'Israeli' for a citizen of the modern nation of Israel.

Common Mistakes

The modern Israeli army fought in the hills.' (when referring to the ancient kingdom).
The ancient Israelite army fought in the hills.
'Israeli' refers to the modern country; 'Israelite' refers to the ancient biblical people.
He is an Israelite who lives in Tel Aviv today.
He is an Israeli who lives in Tel Aviv today.
Use 'Israeli' for citizens of the modern State of Israel.

israelite — adjective

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These three terms describe the same ancestral line at different historical stages. 'Hebrew' is the earliest label, used for the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob) and the people before they settled in Canaan — it also survives as the name of the language. 'Israelite' refers specifically to the descendants of Jacob (renamed Israel) who formed the twelve tribes and later the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, from the Exodus period through the Babylonian exile. 'Jew' (from 'Judah') became the standard term after the return from exile and continues to describe the ethnic and religious group today. 'Israeli' is a modern political term for a citizen of the State of Israel, regardless of ethnicity. A Hebrew could become an Israelite; an Israelite after the exile is called a Jew; but a modern Israeli may or may not be Jewish. Choosing the right term depends on the time period: use 'Hebrew' for the patriarchal age, 'Israelite' for the biblical kingdoms, 'Jew' for post-exilic to modern times, and 'Israeli' for the present-day nation.

Hebrew ↗Jew ↗Israeli ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • the Israelites
  • ancient Israelites
  • the Israelite people
  • the twelve tribes of Israel

Prepositions

  • among the Israelites
  • of the Israelites

Etymology

HebrewGreekLatinFrenchEnglish

From 'Israel' (the name given to the patriarch Jacob in the Hebrew Bible, meaning 'one who struggles with God') + the suffix '-ite' (from Latin '-ita', Greek '-ites', indicating 'belonging to' or 'descended from'). The word entered English through Latin and French translations of the Bible. An Israelite is literally a descendant of Israel (Jacob).