Jerusalem
Americannoun
noun
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the de facto capital of Israel (recognition of this has been withheld by the United Nations), situated in the Judaean hills: became capital of the Hebrew kingdom after its capture by David around 1000 bc ; destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon in 586 bc ; taken by the Romans in 63 bc ; devastated in 70 ad and 135 ad during the Jewish rebellions against Rome; fell to the Arabs in 637 and to the Seljuk Turks in 1071; ruled by Crusaders from 1099 to 1187 and by the Egyptians and Turks until conquered by the British (1917); centre of the British mandate of Palestine from 1920 to 1948, when the Arabs took the old city and the Jews held the new city; unified after the Six Day War (1967) under the Israelis; the holy city of Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Pop: 693 200 (2003 est)
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Christianity Heaven
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any ideal city
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Jerusalem and places nearby are the scenes of crucial events in the life of Jesus. (See Bethlehem and Calvary.)
The “New Jerusalem” is mentioned in the Book of Revelation as the heavenly city, to be established at the end of time.
The city is famous for its many sacred sights and shrines, including the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and the Dome of the Rock.
The site of the city has been occupied since the Bronze Age.
Known as the “Holy City,” it is sacred to Jews (see also Jews), Christians (see also Christian), and Muslims.
Conquest of Jerusalem was the goal of the early Crusades during the Middle Ages.
It was the capital of the ancient Hebrew kingdom under the kings David and Solomon.
After the creation of the state of Israel in 1948, Jerusalem was divided between Israel and Jordan. Following the Arab-Israeli conflict of 1967, Israel annexed the remainder of the city.
Other Word Forms
- Jerusalemite adjective
Etymology
Origin of Jerusalem
First recorded in 1580–1600; from Latin Hierosolyma, from Greek Hierosólyma, from Hebrew Yĕrūshalayim “possession of peace” (traditional interpretation). The H- in the Greek form is not found in the Hebrew; the H- is due to the influence of the Greek adjective hierós “holy, sacred, supernatural.” The alternative Latin form Hierūsalem, from Greek Hierousalḗm, comes from Hebrew Yĕrūshalēm, which most likely represents the pronunciation of Yĕrūshalayim. The spelling Jerusalem is due to loss of the initial aspirate H-, in the spelling of the Latin Hierusalem, which becomes Ierusalem; the former short vowel i then becomes pronounced as the semivowel y in accordance with ordinary Latin usage
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.
The strike was called by the General Secretariat of Christian Educational Institutions in Jerusalem and later joined by all private schools in east Jerusalem.
From Barron's
Hanukkah celebrates the miracle when a small amount of oil burned for eight days in the rededicated Temple in Jerusalem, symbolizing how light, faith, and resilience will overcome darkness, violence and oppression.
From Los Angeles Times
The Biblical figure King Solomon is central to Freemasonry - his construction of First Temple in Jerusalem is reflected in Masonic ideals of self-development and spiritual growth.
From BBC
Led by the University of Cambridge, the research also delivers the first detailed look at education conditions in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since October 7, 2023.
From Science Daily
Another Pacific island state, Fiji, inaugurated an embassy in Jerusalem in September.
From Barron's
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
