Palestine

Meaning

Proper Noun

• The region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River.
• The West Bank and Gaza Strip, taken collectively, with or without other territorial claims, especially if considered to be (the site of) the State of Palestine.
• The territory of the State of Israel, West Bank and Gaza Strip combined, the homeland of the Palestinian people.
• A British colonial entity administering approximately the lands mentioned in definition 3.
• The British League of Nations Mandate for Palestine, of which this region was a part (the remainder being Transjordan, which covered approximately the lands of the modern Kingdom (originally Emirate) of Jordan).
• Any of four Ancient Roman and Byzantine provinces in the eastern Mediterranean: Syria Palaestina, Palaestina Prima, Palaestina Secunda and Palaestina Salutaris.
• city, county seat Anderson County (county) Texas (state) USA (country).

Related

Similar words

• Canaan, the Holy Land, Israel, the Land of Israel
• Palaestina
• State of Palestine, Filastin

Origin

• From Latin Palaestīna ("Roman province of Palestine"), from Ancient Greek Παλαιστίνη ("Philistia and the surrounding region"), from Hebrew פְּלֶשֶׁת ("Philistia, land of the [[Philistines"), from the root פ־ל־ש. The term P-l-s-t or P-r-s-t, found in five Ancient Egyptian inscriptions (beginning with one at Medinet Habu from circa 1170 BC and ending with Padiiset's Statue inscription from circa 900-850 BC) as the name of a people near Egypt, is traditionally taken to be cognate. Seven Assyrian inscriptions contain the word "Palas(h)tu" or "Pilistu", which is usually also taken to be cognate.