Siel

See also: siel, síel, and Siël

Central Franconian

Etymology

From Old High German sēla, from Proto-Germanic *saiwalō. Central Franconian -ī- is the regular outcome of Old High German -ē-. (The form is thus in line with German Seele, English soul, rather than Dutch ziel.)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ziːl/

Noun

Siel f (plural Siele, diminutive Sielche)

1. (most dialects) soul

German

Etymology

18th century, from Low German Siel, from Middle Low German and Old Saxon sīl. Cognate with Dutch zijl, West Frisian syl.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ziːl/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

Siel m or n (strong, genitive Siels or Sieles, plural Siele)

1. lock of a dike

   Synonym: Deichsiel

2. (Northern Germany) subterranean sewer

   Synonym: Gully

Declension

Declension of Siel [masculine // neuter, strong]

	singular			plural
	indef.	def.	noun	def.	noun
nominative	ein	der, das	Siel	die	Siele
genitive	eines	des	Siels, Sieles	der	Siele
dative	einem	dem	Siel, Siele1	den	Sielen
accusative	einen, ein	den, das	Siel	die	Siele

¹Now rare, see notes.

Further reading

• “Siel” in Duden online
• “Siel” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• “Siel” in Deutsches Wörterbuch von Jacob und Wilhelm Grimm, 16 vols., Leipzig 1854–1961.

Saterland Frisian

Etymology

From German Ziel.

Noun

Siel n

1. goal; aim; target; objective; purpose