Geißel

Meaning

1. (Austria, Southern-Germany, Switzerland, feminine) synonym of Peitsche (“whip”)
2. (feminine) scourge (whip used for flagellation)
3. (feminine, figuratively) scourge (persistent source of harm, especially when seen as divine punishment)
4. (feminine) flagellum

Concepts

scourge

whip

flagellum

cilium

plague

Scourge

Synonyms

Peitsche

Karbatsche

Plette

Gerte

Plage

Heimsuchung

Schicksalsschlag

Schlag

Unglück

Unheil

Verhängnis

Wimper

Unstern

Flagellum

Cilie

Bürde

Unsegen

Fluch

Last

Prüfung

Reitgerte

Rute

Translations

gesel

azote

flagelo

fouet

kırbaç

flagello

flagelo

fléau

frusta

سوط

piaga

plaag

açoite

flagellum

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈɡaɪ̯səl/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle High German: geisel

Inherited from Old High German: geisila

Cognate with Dutch: gesel

In summary

From Middle High German geisel(e), from Old High German geisila (“whip”). Cognate with Dutch gesel. The spelling with -ß- reflects sporadic devoicing; compare the frequent pronunciations of niesen or Preiselbeere. Its use for distinguishing between Geißel and Geisel (“hostage”) is an arbitrary convention, which fully established itself only around 1900. (The two words are not related but became merged in Early Modern German.)