Where does “zil” come from?
zil (Turkish) comes from Ottoman Turkish زل, from Persian زیر, from Middle Persian azēr — under.
zil (Turkish): bell; cymbal
Ancestry of “zil”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Ottoman Turkish | زل | — |
| 2 | Persian | زیر | high-pitched; kasra; underneath |
| 3 | Middle Persian | azēr | under |