kibbutz

noun

kib·​butz ki-ˈbu̇ts  -ˈbüts 

plural kibbutzim ki-ˌbu̇t-ˈsēm 

-ˌbüt-

: a communal farm or settlement in Israel

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A kibbutz is a communal settlement in Israel in which all wealth is held in common and profits are reinvested in the settlement. The first kibbutz was founded in 1909; currently there are about 270, with a total population exceeding 120,000. Adults live in private quarters, while children are generally housed and cared for as a group. Meals are prepared and eaten communally. Members have regular meetings to discuss business and to take votes on matters requiring decisions. Jobs may be assigned by rotation, by choice, or by skill.

Examples of kibbutz in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Mordechai Galili, another soldier who, like Degieli, was a settler from a nearby kibbutz named Nirim, described the process for the settlement’s bulletin. — Literary Hub, 16 July 2026

One of Jelin’s paintings was damaged during the October 7 attack while being held in a gallery in the Be’eri kibbutz that the artist managed. — Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 14 July 2026

Caesarstone, a company founded on a kibbutz in the late 1980s, helped popularize quartz countertops globally. — Dr. Céline Gounder, CBS News, 12 Mar. 2026

Tirat Tsvi, Israel Tirat Tsvi—also spelled Tirat Zvi—is a kibbutz (a communal settlement) in the Beit She'an Valley of northeast Israel, near the border of Jordan. — Elizabeth Rhodes, Travel + Leisure, 17 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Modern Hebrew qibbūṣ

First Known Use

1926, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for kibbutz

• inputs
• outputs
• rajputs
• throughputs
• foots
• puts

Kids Definition

kibbutz

noun

kib·​butz kib-ˈu̇ts  -ˈüts 

plural kibbutzim -ˌu̇t-ˈsēm 

-ˌüt-

: a farming settlement in Israel that is owned and shared equally by the people who live there and run it