An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Zeidler

by Friedrich Kluge

Zeidler, masculine, ‘keeper of bees, from the equivalent Middle High German zîdelœre, Old High German zîdalâri, masculine; a derivative of Old High German zîdal-, Middle High German zîdel-, especially in the compound zîdalweida, Middle High German zîdelweide, ‘forest in which bees are kept.’ This zîdal (pre-High German *tîþlo- probably appears also in Low German tielbär, ‘honey-bear’) does not occur in any other Old Teutonic dialect, but it is not necessary on that account to assume a foreign origin for the word. The word is supposed to have come from Slavonic territory, where the keeping of bees is widely spread, being based on Old Slovenian bĭčela, ‘keeper of bees’ (compare Lebkuchen); but this derivation is not quite probable. Its connection with Seidelbast (Middle High German zîdel-, sîdelbast) and Zeiland is equally uncertain.