Welcome

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈwÉ›l.kÉ™m/

Origin

From Middle English welcome, wolcume, wulcume, wilcume, from Old English wilcuma ("one whose coming is pleasant, a welcome person or thing, a guest"; compare also wilcume ("welcome!", interjection.)), from Proto-Germanic *weljakwumô ("a comer, a welcomed guest"), equivalent to will("desire") + come("comer, arrival"). Cognate with Scots walcome ("welcome"), West Frisian wolkom ("welcome"), Dutch welkom ("welcome"), German willkommen ("welcome"), Danish and Norwegian velkommen ("welcome"), Swedish välkommen ("welcome"), Icelandic velkomin ("welcome").

Similar constructions are common in Romance languages, such as Italian benvenuto, Spanish bienvenido, French bienvenue and Portuguese bem-vindo, each meaning “you have fared well in coming here”. These do not derive from Classic Latin, where a similar construction is not found, and presumably are instead the result of a calque from Germanic to Proto-Romance (Vulgar Latin).

Full definition of welcome

Interjection

1. greeting

Verb

1. To affirm or greet the arrival of someone, especially by saying "Welcome!".
• 1898, Winston Churchill, The Celebrity Chapter 5, But Miss Thorn relieved the situation by laughing aloud,.... By the time we reached the house we were thanking our stars she had come. Mrs. Cooke came out from under the port-cochere to welcome her.
2. To accept something willingly or gladly.
   We welcome suggestions for improvement.

Adjective

1. Whose arrival is a cause of joy; received with gladness; admitted willingly to the house, entertainment, or company.
• CowperWhen the glad soul is made Heaven's welcome guest.
2. a welcome visitor
3. Producing gladness.
• 1918, W. B. Maxwell, The Mirror and the Lamp Chapter 7, “A very welcome, kind, useful present, that means to the parish. By the way, Hopkins, let this go no further. We don't want the tale running round that a rich person has arrived. Churchill, my dear fellow, we have such greedy sharks, and wolves in lamb's clothing. ...”
4. a welcome present;  welcome news
5. Free to have or enjoy gratuitously.
   You are welcome to the use of my library.

Noun

1. The act of greeting someone’s arrival, especially by saying "Welcome!"; reception.
2. The utterance of such a greeting.
3. Kind reception of a guest or newcomer.We entered the house and found a ready welcome.
• Shenstonehis warmest welcome at an inn
• SouthTruth finds an entrance and a welcome too.

Derived terms