Forms: 6 zebelin, 7 -elline, 7 zibellin, -en, zubeline, 8 zebiline, 8– zibelin(e, (9 zibelline). [ad. F. zibeline (also † zabelline, † zebeline, OF. sebelin), = It. zibellino, Sp. z-, cebellina, Pg. zebelina, Romanic deriv. of Slav. sobol: see SABLE sb.1]
1. A small carnivorous quadruped, the sable, Mustela zibellina. Also attrib.
1585. T. Washington, trans. Nicholay’s Voy., II. xxiii. 62. Furres of martirs, Zebelins, Sables.
1654. trans. Martini’s Conq. China, 9. Garnished round with … skin three fingers broad, of Castor, or Zibellin.
1671. H. M., trans. Erasm. Colloq., 447. Clothed … in cloth of Gold and Silver in Zebelline and African furs.
1784. King, Cook’s Voy. Pacific, VI. vi. 340. The common fox; the stoat, or ermine; the zibeline, or sable.
1808. Eleanor Sleath, Bristol Heiress, I. 177. The zibelin from her haunts decoy’d; Or chas’d the ermine from his cell.
1844. Hugh Murray, Trav. Marco Polo, I. § 23. 133. The inside is lined with skins of ermine and zibelline.
2. The fur of the sable; sable.
1869. Daily News, 7 Jan., 5/3. Dressed in black velvet, trimmed all over with zibeline.
1889. Pop. Sci. Monthly, May (1890), 34. In 1188 or thereabout no person was allowed to wear garments of vair, gray, zibeline, or scarlet color.
3. (Also zibeline cloth.) A soft smooth woollen material with a slightly furry surface, used for women’s dress. Also attrib.
1892. Daily News, 17 Dec., 5/7. Blue-grey zibeline cloth…. A Czarina jacket of almond-coloured zibeline.
1893. Lady, 17 Aug., 172/2. The cloths coming in are mostly beavers, thick zibeline finished beavers for choice.
1909. W. J. Locke, Septimus, ix. It was Emma. He recognized the zibeline toque and coat.
