An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Zeidler

by Friedrich Kluge

Zeidler, m., ‘keeper of bees, from the equiv. MidHG. zîdelœre, OHG. zîdalâri, m.; a derivative of OHG. zîdal-, MidHG. zîdel-, espec. in the compound zîdalweida, MidHG. zîdelweide, ‘forest in which bees are kept.’ This zîdal (pre-HG. *tîþlo- probably appears also in LG. tielbär, ‘honey-bear’) does not occur in any other OTeut. 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 Slav. territory, where the keeping of bees is widely spread, being based on OSlov. bĭčela, ‘keeper of bees’ (comp. Lebkuchen); but this derivation is not quite probable. Its connection with Seidelbast (MidHG. zîdel-, sîdelbast) and Zeiland is equally uncertain.