Zionism
/ˈzaɪ.ə.nɪ.zəm/noun
A political and cultural movement supporting the establishment and continued existence of a Jewish national homeland in the historic Land of Israel.
Did you know?The term Zionism was coined in the 1890s by the Jewish writer Nathan Birnbaum, before Theodor Herzl made political Zionism internationally prominent.
Etymological Timeline
Biblical Hebrew, 1st millennium BCE
Hebrew
צִיּוֹן (Ṣiyyōn)
“A proper name for a hill or stronghold in Jerusalem; its ultimate origin is uncertain.”
Septuagint Greek, 3rd–2nd century BCE
Greek
Σιών (Siōn)
“Transliteration of the Hebrew place-name Zion.”
Latin, Late Antiquity
Latin
Sion
“Biblical and Christian Latin form of Zion, used for Jerusalem and, symbolically, the holy city.”
Middle English, 12th–15th centuries
English
Sion / Syon
“A biblical name for Mount Zion or Jerusalem, also used figuratively for the heavenly city.”
1890
German
Zionismus
“A modern ideological term formed from Zion plus the suffix -ismus; Nathan Birnbaum is generally credited with its coinage.”
1891 onward
English
Zionism
“The English form of Zionismus, referring to the modern movement associated with Jewish national restoration and statehood.”