Israelite

See also: israelite, israélite, and Israélite

English

Etymology

From the Latin Isrāēlīta (“Israelite”), from the Ancient Greek Ἰσρᾱηλῑ́της (Isrāēlī́tēs, “Israelite”), from Ἰσρᾱήλ (Isrāḗl, “Israel”), from the Hebrew יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yiśrāʼēl, “Israel”), by surface analysis, Israel +‎ -ite.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɪz.ɹi.əˌlaɪt/, /ˈɪz.ɹɪˌlaɪt/, /ˈɪz.ɹeɪ.əˌlaɪt/

Noun

Israelite (plural Israelites)

1. A native or inhabitant of (i) the united nation of Israel (under the Judges, and then kings Saul, David and Solomon), or (ii) the later northern kingdom centered in Samaria, distinct from kingdom of Judah centered in Jerusalem.
   • 1627, Michael Drayton, “Moses his birth and miracles”, in The Muses Elizium lately discouered‎^[1], page 173:

     Celesliall brightnesse ceazed on his face,
     That did the wondring Israelites amaze,
     When he returned from that souereigne place,
     His browes encireled with splendidious rayes.

   • 1844, William Augustus Stearns, Infant Church-membership, page 153:

     The token of God is upon him, let him now, by his own profession of faith, acknowledge it, as God's token, bringing him under the responsibilities and blessings of the covenant, and he will be received, unquestionably, as "an Israelite indeed."

   • 1988, Ran Zadok, The Pre-Hellenistic Israelite Anthroponymy and Prosopography, →ISBN:

     Papponymy is not documented among Israelites. The only exception, Tahat son of 'Elyada' son of Tahat is doubtful and is not a papponymy sensu stricto.

2. A member of the Twelve Tribes of Israel and a descendant of Jacob.

   Hyponyms: cohen, Jew, Levite, Samaritan

3. A member of the Jewish people who is neither a cohen nor a Levite.
4. (historical) A club used as a weapon by the Circumcellions.

Translations

descendant of Jacob

• Esperanto: Izraelido
• French: Israélite (fr) m, fils d’Israël m, enfant d’Israël m
• German: Israelit (de) m, Israelitin (de) f
• Hebrew: בני ישראל (he) m pl (bnéi-yisra'él) (plural; means "the Israelites, the children of Israel")
• Hungarian: izraelita (hu)
• Ido: Izraelido (io)
• Indonesian: bani Israel, bani Israil
• Maore Comorian: mutru wa Israila class 1/2
• Ngazidja Comorian: mwana wa Israeli class 1/2
• Portuguese: israelita (pt) c
• Swedish: israelit (sv) c
• Yiddish: בן־ישׂראל m (ben-yisróel), בני־ישׂראל m pl (bney-yisróel), בת־ישׂראל f (bas-yisroel), ייִד m (yid)

native or inhabitant of Israel — see Israeli

Adjective

Israelite (not comparable)

1. Of or pertaining to the ancient nation(s) of Israel or the inhabitants thereof.
2. (rare, chiefly in Protestantism) Of or pertaining to the descendants of the patriarch Jacob.

   Hyponyms: Jewish, Samaritan

Usage notes

Israeli is the noun and adjective for the modern state of Israel and its people, and is not to be confused with Israelite. The usage to mean "pertaining to a descendant of Jacob" is rare, very narrowly confined to religious (mainly Protestant) contexts.

Translations

of or pertaining to the ancient nation(s) of Israel, their inhabitants, or to the descendants of the patriarch Jacob

• Afrikaans: Israelities
• Arabic: إِسْرَائِيلِيٌّ (ʔisrāʔīliyyun)
• Aramaic:

  Classical Syriac: ܐܝܣܪܐܝܠܝ

• Catalan: israelita (ca)
• Danish: israelitisk
• Dutch: Israëlitisch (nl)
• French: israélite (fr) m or f
• German: israelitisch (de)
• Irish: Iosraeilíteach
• Italian: israelita (it) m or f
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: israelitisk

  Nynorsk: israelitisk

• Spanish: israelita (es)
• Swedish: israelitisk

Anagrams

• realities, resiliate