zizel, n.

zizel
http://www.oed.com/dictionary/zizel_n%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_use
Revised 2018

# zizelnoun

## Earlier version

- zizel in OED Second Edition (1989)

## Factsheet

### What does the noun zizel mean?

There is one meaning in OED's entry for the noun zizel. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definition, usage, and quotation evidence.

### How is the noun zizel pronounced?

#### British English

/ˈziːzəl/
ZEE-zuhl

#### U.S. English

/ˈzizəl/
ZEE-zuhl

### Where does the noun zizel come from?

Earliest known use

late 1700s

The earliest known use of the noun zizel is in the late 1700s.

OED's earliest evidence for zizel is from around 1775–6, in a translation by William Kenrick, writer and translator, et al.

zizel is of multiple origins. Partly a borrowing from French. Partly a borrowing from German.

Etymons: French zisel; German Ziesel.

### Nearby entries

1. zither, v. 1889–
2. zither banjo, n. 1888–
3. zithering, adj. 1889–
4. zitherist, n. 1866–
5. zither-like, adj. 1881–
6. ziti, n. 1845–
7. zitty, adj. 1971–
8. Ziv, n. a1382–
9. zizania, n. 1526–
10. zizany, n. a1400–1803
11. zizel, n.1775–
12. zizypha, n. 1546–1775
13. zizyphus, n.?1440–
14. zizz, v. 1883–
15. zizz, int. & n. 1824–
16. zizzing, n. 1884–
17. zizzing, adj. 1919–
18. zizzy, adj. 1843–
19. Zlid, n. 1616–1785
20. Z'life, n. 1689
21. Z line, n. 1916–

## Etymology

### Summary

Of multiple origins. Partly a borrowing from French. Partly a borrowing from German.
Etymons: French zisel; German Ziesel.
< (i) French zisel (1767 in the passage translated in quots. 1775–6 and 1780),

and its etymon (ii) German Ziesel, †Zeisel (also more fully Zieselmaus, Zieselratte; Middle High German zisel), probably <…
< (i) French zisel (1767 in the passage translated in quots. 1775–6 and 1780),

and its etymon (ii) German Ziesel, †Zeisel (also more fully Zieselmaus, Zieselratte; Middle High German zisel), probably < Czech sysel, cognate with (perhaps showing a different ablaut grade) Polish suseł, Old Russian susol″ (Russian (regional) susol; compare souslik n.), Bulgarian săsel; further etymology uncertain.

Compare slightly earlier souslik n. and later sisel n.

### Notes

Compare Old High German zisimūs (also cisimūs, sisimūs; Middle High German zisemus) and Old English sisemūs, in sense ‘dormouse’ (with the second element compare mouse n.), which may reflect an earlier borrowing < a West Slavonic language, although this has sometimes been disputed.

## Meaning & use

Now rare.

1. 1775–
   Any of several Eurasian ground squirrels (genus Spermophilus), esp. the European souslik, S. citellus.
   1. [1607

      > In Germany they cal it Pile and Zisel, and of this Germaine word was the Latine Citellus_feigned.

      E. Topsell, Historie of Foure-footed Beastes 532]
   2. 1775–6

      > The zisel [French zisel] is smaller than the hamster.

      W. Kenrick et al., translation of Comte de Buffon, Natural History of Animals, Vegetables, & Minerals vol. IV. 88
   3. 1780

      > The Zisel, or Earless Marmot.

      W. Smellie, translation of Comte de Buffon, Natural History General & Particular vol. VIII. 229
   4. 1833

      > The zizel or souslic marmot.

      Penny Cyclopaedia vol. I. 441/2
   5. 1893

      > Other Southern districts [were visited] by zisels and worms.

      Edinburgh Review January 20
   6. 1941

      > T [richostrongylus] colubriformis, a very common parasite of the sheep, has also been reported from a long series of other hosts, as goat, cattle and other ruminants, horse, squirrel, hare, rabbit, zizel, several kinds of apes and monkeys, and man.

      Journal of Parasitology vol. 27 363
   animals
   1. earless marmot 1771–
      The European souslik or ground squirrel, Spermophilus citellus, which lacks external ears.
   2. souslik 1774–
      Any of various short-tailed ground squirrels of the genus Spermophilus, native to steppes and grasslands of northern Eurasia, esp. (in full Europe…
   3. zizel 1775–
      Any of several Eurasian ground squirrels (genus Spermophilus), esp. the European souslik, S. citellus.
   4. pouched marmot 1870–
      A souslik (genus Spermophilus).
   5. sisel 1879–
      Any of several Eurasian ground squirrels (genus Spermophilus), esp. the European souslik, S. citellus.
   View in Historical Thesaurus

## Pronunciation

### British English

/ˈziːzəl/
ZEE-zuhl

### U.S. English

/ˈzizəl/
ZEE-zuhl

####

##### Consonants

- ppea
- ttea
- kkey
- bbuy
- ddye
- ɡguy
- tʃchore
- dʒjay
- ffore
- θthaw
- ssore
- ʃshore
- vvee
- ðthee
- zzee
- ʒbeige
- xloch
- hhay
- llay
- ɬrhingyll
- rray
- wway
- jyore
- mmay
- nnay
- ŋsing

Some consonants can take the function of the vowel in unstressed syllables. Where necessary, a syllabic marker diacritic is used, hence /ˈpɛtl/ but /ˈpɛtl̩i/.

##### Vowels

- iːfleece
- ihappy
- ɪkit
- ɛdress
- atrap, bath
- ɑːstart, palm, bath
- ɒlot
- ɔːthought, force
- ʌstrut
- ʊfoot
- uːgoose
- əletter
- əːnurse
- ɪənear
- ɛːsquare
- ʊəcure
- eɪface
- ʌɪpride
- aʊmouth
- əʊgoat
- ɔɪvoice
- ãgratin
- ɒ̃salon
- ᵻ(/ɪ/-/ə/)
- ᵿ(/ʊ/-/ə/)

##### Other symbols

- The symbol ˈ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with primary stress.
- The symbol ˌ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with secondary stress.
- Round brackets ( ) in a transcription indicate that the symbol within the brackets is optional.

View the pronunciation model here.

####

##### Consonants

- ppea
- ttea
- kkey
- bbuy
- ddye*
- ɡguy
- tʃchore
- dʒjay
- ffore
- θthaw
- ssore
- ʃshore
- vvee
- ðthee
- zzee
- ʒbeige
- xloch
- hhay
- llay
- rray
- wway
- jyore
- mmay
- nnay
- ŋsing

* /d/ also represents a 'tapped' /t/ as in

Some consonants can take the function of the vowel in unstressed syllables. Where necessary, a syllabic marker diacritic is used, hence /ˈpɛd(ə)l/ but /ˈpɛdl̩i/.

##### Vowels

- ifleece, happy
- ɪkit
- ɛdress
- ætrap, bath
- ɑlot, palm, cloth, thought
- ɑrstart
- ɔcloth, thought
- ɔrnorth, force
- ʊfoot
- ugoose
- əstrut, comma
- ərnurse, letter
- ɪ(ə)rnear
- ɛ(ə)rsquare
- ʊ(ə)rcure
- eɪface
- aɪpride
- aʊmouth
- oʊgoat
- ɔɪvoice
- ɑ̃gratin
- æ̃salon
- ᵻ(/ɪ/-/ə/)
- ᵿ(/ʊ/-/ə/)

##### Other symbols

- The symbol ˈ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with primary stress.
- The symbol ˌ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with secondary stress.
- Round brackets ( ) in a transcription indicate that the symbol within the brackets is optional.

View the pronunciation model here.

####

Simple text respell breaks words into syllables, separated by a hyphen. The syllable which carries the primary stress is written in capital letters. This key covers both British and U.S. English Simple Text Respell.

##### Consonants

b, d, f, h, k, l, m, n, p, r, s, t, v, w and z have their standard English values

- gguy
- jjay
- yyore
- chchore
- khloch
- shshore
- ththaw
- dhthee
- zhbeige

##### Vowels

- atrap
- ahpalm
- airsquare
- arstart
- arrcarry (British only)
- awthought
- ayface
- a(ng)gratin
- edress
- eefleece
- eerdeer
- errmerry
- ikit
- ighpride
- irrmirror
- olot (British only)
- ohgoat
- oogoose
- oorcure
- orforce
- orrsorry (British only)
- owmouth
- oyvoice
- o(ng)salon
- ustrut
- uhletter
- urnurse
- urrhurry
- uufoot

## Forms

### Variant forms

1. 1700s
   zeisel
2. 1700s–1900s
   zisel
3. 1700s–
   zizel
4. 1800s
   ziesel

zizel, n. was revised in June 2018.

zizel, n. was last modified in June 2025.