moshav: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal, Technical, Academic
Quick answer
What does “moshav” mean?
A type of cooperative agricultural community in Israel where members farm individual plots of land but share some resources and services.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A type of cooperative agricultural community in Israel where members farm individual plots of land but share some resources and services.
The term can sometimes be used, outside the strict Israeli context, to refer to any close-knit cooperative settlement or community, though this usage is rare.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Recognized primarily in contexts discussing Israel, agriculture, or sociology.
Connotations
Neutral to positive, associated with agricultural innovation, community, and Israeli history.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in general discourse in both regions. Slightly higher frequency in specialized or Jewish community contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “moshav” in a Sentence
[NAME] lives/works on a moshav.The family moved to a moshav in the Galilee.Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might appear in discussions of agricultural cooperatives or Israeli business sectors.
Academic
Used in sociology, history, Middle Eastern studies, and agricultural economics texts.
Everyday
Very rare. Likely only in conversations about Israel, travel, or specific community lifestyles.
Technical
Used as a precise term in descriptions of Israeli settlement models and agricultural history.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “moshav”
- Using it as a common noun for any Israeli village (e.g., 'a moshav near the sea' could be correct, but 'all small towns are moshavs' is wrong).
- Confusing it with 'kibbutz'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A kibbutz is traditionally a fully collective community where all property, work, and income are shared communally. A moshav is a cooperative of individual farms where families live on and work their own plots but share machinery, marketing, and some services.
It is a loanword from Hebrew (מוֹשָׁב) that has been adopted into English, primarily for use in contexts relating to Israel. It is considered a proper noun when part of a name and a common noun when referring to the type of settlement.
Yes, many moshavim in Israel offer tourist accommodations like guest houses (zimmers), farm stays, and sell local produce directly to visitors.
The standard English plural is 'moshavs' or 'moshavim'. 'Moshavim' (pronounced /moʊʃɑːˈviːm/) is the original Hebrew plural and is often used in more informed or technical writing.
A type of cooperative agricultural community in Israel where members farm individual plots of land but share some resources and services.
Moshav is usually formal, technical, academic in register.
Moshav: in British English it is pronounced /ˈmɒʃav/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈmoʊʃɑːv/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: MOSHAV = MOre SHAred than a Village but less than a Kibbutz. (It's a cooperative with individual plots).
Conceptual Metaphor
COMMUNITY IS A SHARED ROOT SYSTEM (individual plants/trees drawing from common resources).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary defining feature of a moshav?