Israelis

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The citizens or inhabitants of the nation of Israel, comprising diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds
2. Individuals who hold Israeli nationality, including Jews, Arabs, and other minority groups residing in Israel
3. People who are part of the social, cultural, and political landscape of Israel, contributing to its society and identity

Etymology: "Israeli" is an adjective-turned-noun formed from "Israel," so "Israelis" is simply its plural. The name itself goes back to the Hebrew "Yisra'el," traditionally understood as "one who struggles with God" or "God contends," the name given to the patriarch Jacob in the Book of Genesis (32:28). It was later applied to his descendants and to the northern kingdom of ancient Israel. The modern form came into use in the 1800s, when Zionist and European writers adopted "Israel" as the name of the Jewish national project and its emerging population. The suffix "-i," from Latin "-ianus" through Greek and Hebrew-influenced usage, is the same ending found in "Italian" or "Indian," marking a person belonging to a place. English adopted "Israeli" as an adjective and noun for citizens of the State of Israel after its founding in 1948, when the state needed a demonym for its residents.