An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Seil

by Friedrich Kluge

Seil, neuter, ‘rope,’ from Middle High German and Old High German seil, neuter, ‘rope, cord’; corresponding to Old Saxon sêl, Anglo-Saxon sâl, Old Icelandic seil, Gothic *sail, neuter, ‘rope’ (from insailjan, ‘to lower or let down with cords’). A common Teutonic word sailo-m, which, like the equivalent Old Slovenian silo, is derived from the widely diffused Aryan root sī̆, ‘to bind.’ Compare the Sanscrit root sì, ‘to bind,’ sẽtu, ‘bond, fetter,’ Greek ἱ-μάς, ‘strap’, and ἱ-μονιά ‘well-rope,’ Lettic sinu, ‘to bind’; also Old High German si-lo, Middle High German sil, masculine, ‘traces of draught cattle’; Old Saxon sī̆mo, ‘strap,’ Old Icelandic síme. See Seite and Siele.