welk

welk · verb¹

1. Proto-Germanic · derived from*welkaz“soft, withered”
2. Proto-West Germanic · derived from*wilkijan“to become soft”
3. Middle English · inherited fromwelken
4. English todaywelk

From Middle English welken, probably from a continental Germanic language; compare Middle Dutch welken (Dutch welken) and Middle Low German welken. Cognate with German welken. Ultimately, from Proto-West Germanic *wilkijan (“to become soft”), from Proto-Germanic *welkaz (“soft, withered”), according to Kluge, related to *wulkną (“cloud”). Compare also Old English wealwian (“to fade, wither”), Old English wlacu (“tepid, lukewarm”).

Welk · proper noun²

1. Proto-Slavic · derived from*velь“great”
2. Middle High German · derived fromwelc“mild, soft”
3. Proto-West Germanic · derived from*welag
4. Old Saxon · derived fromwelag
5. Middle Low German · derived fromwelich“lively, luxuriant”
6. English todayWelk

* As a German surname, variant of Welge, from Middle Low German welich (“lively, luxuriant”), from Old Saxon welag, from Proto-West Germanic *welag; also as a variant of Welsch. * Also as a German surname, from archaic Middle High German welc (“mild, soft”), from the root of the verb welken (“to wither”). * As a Lower Sorbian surname, from wjelk (“wolf”). * Also as a Sorbian surname, from the personal name Welimir, from Proto-Slavic *velь (“great”).

Words from the same roots