איזבל

Hebrew

Etymology

From אִי and זְבֻל. Sense Uncertain. Seemingly "not exalted" or "not husbanded" in the sense of shame or lawlessness, likely an intentional alteration of a Punic name attested 𐤁𐤏𐤋𐤀𐤆𐤁𐤋 (b‘l’zbl), בעלאזבל ('Ba'al is exalted'.) Formerly it was thought to bear the sense, through "not husbanded", of "chaste" or "modest". The European name Isabel is similar in transliteration but is unrelated.

An alternative explanation is from אֵיזֶה and בַּעַל (’ēyze ba’al) meaning "Where is Ba'al?" Perhaps was a ritualistic chant during Ba'al worship.

Pronunciation

Proper noun

אִיזֶבֶל • ('izével) f

  1. a female given name, equivalent to English Jezebel

References
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