زِيّ

زِيّ (noun)

Etymology: Disputed; either:
*Middle Persian *zyw- (zīw, “life; lifestyle, manner”), from Proto-Iranian *ǰíHwati, from Proto-Indo-Iranian *ǰíHwati. Cognate with Persian زی (zi-, “to live”), Ancient Greek ζω (zō), and English zoo; all ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʷíh₃woh₂ (see also زئبق (ziʔbaq, “mercury”) for the same root).
* Proto-Semitic *zwy- (“to contract or pull tight, to tie on garb, to equip or supply what is needed, to outfit or furnish, to fit or fasten something on, to deck or adorn, to dress up or decorate, one's appearance or what is displayed”). Bi-consonantal pair found in related roots like Aramaic זיו (ziw, “appearance”), Akkadian 𒍣𒄿𒈬 (zīmu, zīwu, “appearance, looks”), Akkadian 𒍝𒈾𒉡 (zanānu, “to provide, to furnish, to outfit”), Hebrew זִו (ziv, “a spring month; month where trees are adorned with blossoms”), زَوَى (zawā, “to wrinkle, to contract”).

Meaning: costume, uniform, suit, dress; fashion, vogue

From Wiktionary: زي, by Wiktionary contributors, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.