philistia

noun

phi·lis·tia fə-ˈli-stē-ə

variants often Philistia

: the class or world of cultural philistines

Word History

Etymology

Philistia, ancient country of southwest Palestine

First Known Use

1857, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of philistia was in 1857

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Browse Nearby Words

philipstadite

philistia

Philistia

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Philistia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/philistia. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.

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Geographical Definition

Philistia

geographical name

Phi·lis·tia fə-ˈli-stē-ə

country and land of the Philistines on the Mediterranean Sea coast in the southwestern part of ancient Palestine

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