iz-RAY-leez
/ˌɪˈzɹeɪliz/
israelis is pronounced iz-RAY-leez (/ˌɪˈzɹeɪliz/). israelis refers to people from Israel, or to things relating to Israel. It is used as a demonym or adjective in plural form, often capitalized when referring to people. The term combines the proper noun Israel with the plural suffix -is, yielding a word that functions as a noun or adjective depending on context.
israelis refers to people from Israel, or to things relating to Israel. It is used as a demonym or adjective in plural form, often capitalized when referring to people. The term combines the proper noun Israel with the plural suffix -is, yielding a word that functions as a noun or adjective depending on context.
"The israelis you spoke with were discussing regional politics."
"Israeliis is sometimes used informally as a plural noun for individuals from Israel, though 'Israelis' is standard."
"The Israeliis’s culture is diverse (informal/incorrect); see note on capitalization and spelling in editorial usage."
Pronounce as /ˌɪz.rəˈeɪ.liz/ (US, UK, AU commonly agree). Stress falls on the third syllable: is-ra-EL-is. Begin with a short 'i' as in 'it', follow with 'z' consonant, then 'rə' as a schwa+r, then 'eɪ' as the long A, and finish with 'lɪz' or 'liz' depending on accent. Keep the final 's' soft, not shushed. You can listen to native recordings on Forvo or YouGlish for reference.
Common errors include over- or under-emphasizing the middle 'eɪ' vowel, producing a hard ‘i’ before z, and misplacing syllable stress. Another frequent issue is blending the final 'liz' into 'liss', losing the /z/ sound. Correction tips: clearly separate syllables i-zra-e-lis, emphasize the third syllable with a crisp /eɪ/ and keep the final /z/ sound clear. Practice with slow, controlled you-try-to-say examples and compare to native speakers.
In US, UK, and AU, the core sounds are similar, but vowel quality and rhoticity differ. US and UK generally articulate a rhotacized final /ɪz/ or /iz/ with a clear /ɪ/ and /z/, while some non-rhotic UK tendencies may affect preceding vowels. Australian English tends to be non-rhotic and may show a slightly wider vowel space for /eɪ/ and a rounded /ɪ/ in some speakers. IPA remains /ˌɪz.rəˈeɪ.liz/ but exact vowel quality varies.
The difficulty comes from the multi-syllabic structure and the /r/ and /eɪ/ vowel sequence, plus maintaining the final /liz/ with a clear /z/. The mid syllable /rə/ is a reduced vowel that often gets clipped, and the long /eɪ/ can slide toward a shorter /eɪ/ or /iː/ in casual speech. Focus on unit-chunk pronunciation: is - ra - e - lis, with even timing and a crisp final /z/.
Context matters: when used as a noun vs. adjective, intonation can shift. In lists, you’ll keep a light overall tone with even syllable timing; in contrastive contexts, you may briefly stress the final syllable to signal emphasis on affiliation, e.g., 'the Israelis who visited last year.' Additionally, connected speech can blur the 'eɪ' into 'iː' for some speakers, so you’ll want to practice the clean /eɪ/.
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The term Israelis derives from the ethnonym Israel, which originates from the Hebrew Yisra'el or Yisrael. Israel itself is a biblically rooted name meaning 'he who struggles with God' or 'God prevails' depending on etymology notes. The suffix -is is a common English plural nickname for people associated with a place or nationality, akin to 'Americans' or 'French'. The first known uses in English appear in the 19th and 20th centuries as Zionist and national discussions popularized the demonym Israelite (ancient) to modern Israelis. The preferred modern demonym is Israeli for nationality and Israelis for plural, with capitalization standard in formal writing. Over time, usage narrowed to refer specifically to people from the modern State of Israel rather than historical or biblical connotations. The word has become widely accepted in journalism, academia, and everyday speech, though care is taken to avoid ambiguity with other uses of the root 'Israel' in geography, religion, or politics. The evolution reflects shifting political contexts and the need for clear demonyms in multilingual discourse.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "israelis" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "israelis" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "israelis"
-les sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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