welcome
pronunciation
How to pronounce welcome in British English:
UK [ˈwelkəm]
How to pronounce welcome in American English:
US [ˈwelkəm]
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- Noun:
- the state of being welcome
- a greeting or reception
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- Verb:
- accept gladly
- bid welcome to; greet upon arrival
- receive someone, as into one's house
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- Adjective:
- giving pleasure or satisfaction or received with pleasure or freely granted
Word Origin
- welcome
- welcome: [12] Old English had the greeting wilcume, which was a compound word formed from wil- ‘pleasure’ (ancestor of modern English will) and cume, a derivative of cuman ‘come’. From it was formed the verb wilcumian ‘welcome’. (German has the parallel wilkommen.) Then in the early Middle English period, due to the similarity of well and the influence of the parallel Old French greeting bienvenu (literally ‘well come’), it changed to welcome.=> come, will
- welcome (n.)
- Old English wilcuma "welcome!" exclamation of kindly greeting, from earlier wilcuma (n.) "welcome guest," literally "one whose coming suits another's will or wish," from willa "pleasure, desire, choice" (see will (n.)) + cuma "guest," related to cuman (see come). Similar formation in Old High German willicomo, Middle Dutch wellecome. Meaning "entertainment or public reception as a greeting" is recorded from 1530. The adjective is from Old English wilcuma. You're welcome as a formulaic response to thank you is attested from 1907. Welcome mat is from 1908; welcome wagon is attested from 1940.
- welcome (v.)
- Old English wilcumian "to welcome, greet gladly," from wilcuma (see welcome (n.)). Related: Welcomed; welcoming.
Example
- 1. We welcome the feedback and discussion .
- 2. There are few situations where humor isn 't welcome .
- 3. I 'm very pleased to welcome nick kristof as our moderator .
- 4. Some companies may welcome this .
- 5. Its money has been welcome .