An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Weisel

by Friedrich Kluge

Weisel, masculine, ‘queen bee,’ from the equivalent Middle High German wîsel, masculine, literally ‘leader, guide.’ Allied to weisen, verb, ‘to show, direct, point,’ from Middle High German wîsen weak (strong) verb, Old High German wîsen (from *wîsjan), weak verb, ‘to show, direct, instruct’; a derivative of weise (hence literally ‘to make wise’).