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Palestinian

American  
[pal-uh-stin-ee-uhn] / ˌpæl əˈstɪn i ən /

noun

  1. a native or inhabitant of Palestine.

  2. Also called Palestinian Arab.  an Arab formerly living in Palestine who advocates the establishment of an Arab homeland there.


adjective

  1. of or relating to Palestine or Palestinians.

  2. of or relating to Palestinian Arabs.

    Palestinian guerrillas.

Palestinian British  
/ ˌpælɪˈstɪnɪən /

adjective

  1. of or relating to Palestine

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. a native or inhabitant of the former British mandate, or their descendants, esp such Arabs now living in the Palestinian Administered Territories, Jordan, Lebanon, or Israel, or as refugees from Israeli-occupied territory

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of Palestinian

Palestin(e) + -ian

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Ajith Sunghay, from the UN Human Rights Office in occupied Palestinian territory, told the BBC that his team had gathered accounts about what occurred.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

Like so much here, the space had a vintage feel, with old tile floors and walls hung with faded photographs of a visit to Cuba by Yasser Arafat, the long-deceased Palestinian leader.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2026

A year later, Beijing played host to the leaders of 14 Palestinian factions, including Fatah and Hamas.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

He served as an educational and cultural ambassador in the Palestinian territories through the Fulbright Program, the U.S. government's flagship international exchange.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

Mother mentioned that Aqabat Jaber was one of the largest Palestinian refugee camps.

From "Tasting the Sky" by Ibtisam Barakat