kibbutz

noun

kib·​butz ki-ˈbu̇ts  -ˈbüts 

plural kibbutzim ki-ˌbu̇t-ˈsēm 

-ˌbüt-

: a communal farm or settlement in Israel

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A kibbutz is a communal settlement in Israel in which all wealth is held in common and profits are reinvested in the settlement. The first kibbutz was founded in 1909; currently there are about 270, with a total population exceeding 120,000. Adults live in private quarters, while children are generally housed and cared for as a group. Meals are prepared and eaten communally. Members have regular meetings to discuss business and to take votes on matters requiring decisions. Jobs may be assigned by rotation, by choice, or by skill.

Examples of kibbutz in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The family's fear is growing as residents of the same kibbutz Sagui was kidnapped from are now dead. —NBC News, 8 Oct. 2024

One is an image of the kibbutz from April 2023, showing ordered rows of neat, white buildings set in lush gardens. —Matthew Chance, CNN, 6 Oct. 2024

His grandparents Oded and Yocheved were kidnapped from their homes in the kibbutz during the attack. —Ivana Kottasová, CNN, 7 Oct. 2024

The military said one of the rockets was intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome missile-defense system and the other fell in an open area near a kibbutz across the border from Gaza. —Bassem Mroue The Associated Press, arkansasonline.com, 5 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Modern Hebrew qibbūṣ

First Known Use

1926, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

kibbutz

noun

kib·​butz kib-ˈu̇ts  -ˈüts 

plural kibbutzim -ˌu̇t-ˈsēm 

-ˌüt-

: a farming settlement in Israel that is owned and shared equally by the people who live there and run it