Philistia

P3H4I1L1I1S1T1I1A1
US/fɪˈlɪstiə/

proper noun

An ancient pentapolis in south-western Levant, comprising Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ekron, Gath, and Gaza.

OriginHebrew פלשת →
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Meanings

proper noun
  1. historicalAn ancient pentapolis in south-western Levant, comprising Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ekron, Gath, and Gaza.

    The Babylonian Chronicles recount Nebuchadnezzar's conquest of Philistia between 604–601 B.C.E.

    2010, Nancy R. Bowen, Abingdon Old Testament Commentaries: Ezekiel, page 158
    2 more examples

    With Assyria in full control of the Levantine littoral, Philistia, which was vital to Assyrian political and commercial aspirations, was treated leniently and was awarded “favored nation” status.

    2010, Seymour Gitin, “Philistines in the Books of Kings”, in André Lemaire, Baruch Halpern, Matthew Joel Adams, editors, The Books of Kings: Sources, Composition, Historiography and Reception, page 317

    All of Assyria's dealings with Egypt were obliged to pass through Philistia; geographic expediency also seems to have resulted in most of Assyria's interactions with Judah progressing via Philistia.

    2014, C. L. Crouch, The Making of Israel, page 30

Origin

  1. Hebrewפלשת
  2. EnglishPhilistia

From Hebrew פלשת (Pleshet); see also Philistine, Palestine.

More words from Hebrew

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Cantonese 非利士
  • 非利士 (fei¹ lei⁶ si⁶)ancient pentapolis in the Levant
Chinese Mandarin 非利士
  • 非利士 (Fēilìshì)ancient pentapolis in the Levant
Esperanto Filiŝtujo, Filiŝtio
  • Filiŝtujoancient pentapolis in the Levant
  • Filiŝtioancient pentapolis in the Levant
French Philistie
  • Philistieancient pentapolis in the Levant
Hebrew פְּלֶשֶׁת
  • פְּלֶשֶׁתancient pentapolis in the Levant
Hindi पलिश्त
  • पलिश्त (paliśt)ancient pentapolis in the Levant
Italian Filistia
  • Filistiaancient pentapolis in the Levant
Polish Filistea
  • Filisteaancient pentapolis in the Levant
Portuguese Filisteia, Filístia
  • Filisteiaancient pentapolis in the Levant
  • Filístiaancient pentapolis in the Levant
Spanish Filistea
  • Filisteaancient pentapolis in the Levant
Yiddish פּלשת
  • פּלשת (pleshes)ancient pentapolis in the Levant
Cite this entry
APA

Philistia. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Philistia

MLA

“Philistia.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Philistia. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Philistia,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Philistia.

Source: Philistia on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.