Israeli

1 of 2

adjective

Is·​rae·​li iz-ˈrā-lē How to pronounce Israeli (audio)
 also  ˌiz-rə-ˈā-lē
: of or relating to the people or the republic of Israel

Israeli

2 of 2

noun

plural Israelis also Israeli
: a native or inhabitant of the republic of Israel

Examples of Israeli in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
The leaders of the United Kingdom, France, and Canada have called on the Israeli government to stop its military operations in Gaza and allow the entry of humanitarian aid. Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 20 May 2025 On Tuesday morning, at least 38 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes within a 30-minute span, Gaza’s Health Ministry said. Callum Sutherland, Time, 20 May 2025
Noun
The National Security Council, the Israeli Prime Minister’s office, and the Israeli Embassy in Washington did not confirm the reports when asked by CNN and Reuters. Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 21 May 2025 Our Coverage of Tensions in the Middle East Hamas Celebrates Shooting That Killed Israeli Mother en Route to Deliver Baby Gazans Once Escaped To Rafah. Isabel Kershner, New York Times, 18 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for Israeli

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Modern Hebrew yiśrĕ'ēlī, from Hebrew, Israelite, noun & adjective, from Yiśrā'ēl

First Known Use

Adjective

1948, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1948, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Israeli was in 1948

Cite this Entry

“Israeli.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Israeli. Accessed 24 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

Israeli

adjective
Is·​rae·​li
iz-ˈrā-lē
: of, relating to, or characteristic of the republic of Israel or its people
Israeli noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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