gissel

Etymology

From Danish gidsel, from Old Norse gísl, from Proto-Germanic *gīslaz.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡis.sel/, [ˈɡɪs.səl], [ˈɡɪs.sl̩]

Noun

gissel m, n (definite singular gisselen or gisselet or gislet, indefinite plural gisler or gissel, definite plural gislene or gisla)

1. a hostage

References

“gissel” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Etymology

From Danish gidsel, from Old Norse gísl, from Proto-Germanic *gīslaz.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡis.sel/, [ˈɡɪs.səl], [ˈɡɪs.sl̩]

Noun

gissel m (definite singular gisselen, indefinite plural gislar, definite plural gislane)

1. a hostage

References

“gissel” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Etymology

Old Swedish gisl and the older gesl, having feminine gender. Used in the 1541 Bible translation with the plural gisslar. Corresponding to Old Norse geisli, related to Old Norse geirr (“spear”), Old English ger (“spear”) and English gear. Cognates include Icelandic geisli, German Geißel, Dutch gesel.

Noun

gissel n

1. a scourge, a whip, a rod
2. a pain
3. a torturer, an adversary, a critic

References

• gissel in Elof Hellquist, Svensk etymologisk ordbok (1st ed., 1922)