sabra

The word 'sabra' entered English in the mid-20th century from Modern Hebrew, where it was used as a colloquial term for a Jew born in Israel. The Hebrew term itself was borrowed from Arabic 'ṣabr', which refers to the prickly pear cactus. This borrowing was motivated by a metaphorical comparison: just as the cactus is tough and prickly on the outside but soft and sweet within, so too were native-born Israelis perceived as having a rugged, defensive exterior masking a kind, tender interior. The term thus encapsulates a cultural identity through a vivid natural analogy, moving from a concrete botanical term in Arabic to an abstract ethnodemographic label in English via Hebrew.

This word is a loanword from Modern Hebrew, where it is a borrowing from the Arabic word 'ṣabr' (meaning "cactus" or "patience"). In this context, it functions as a simplex noun.