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Welcome - 7 dictionary results

wel⋅come

  [wel-kuhm] interjection, noun, verb, -comed, -com⋅ing, adjective
Use Welcome in a Sentence
–interjection
1. (a word of kindly greeting, as to one whose arrival gives pleasure): Welcome, stranger!
–noun
2. a kindly greeting or reception, as to one whose arrival gives pleasure: to give someone a warm welcome.
–verb (used with object)
3. to greet the arrival of (a person, guests, etc.) with pleasure or kindly courtesy.
4. to receive or accept with pleasure; regard as pleasant or good: to welcome a change.
5. to meet, accept, or receive (an action, challenge, person, etc.) in a specified, esp. unfriendly, manner: They welcomed him with hisses and catcalls.
–adjective
6. gladly received, as one whose arrival gives pleasure: a welcome visitor.
7. agreeable, as something arriving, occurring, or experienced: a welcome rest.
8. given full right by the cordial consent of others: She is welcome to try it.
9. without obligation for the courtesy or favor received (used as a conventional response to expressions of thanks): You're quite welcome.
—Idiom
10. wear out one's welcome, to make one's visits so frequent or of such long duration that they become offensive: Your cousins have long since worn out their welcome.
Origin:
bef. 900; ME < Scand; cf. ON velkominn, equiv. to vel well 1 + kominn come (ptp.); r. OE wilcuma one who is welcome, equiv. to wil- welcome (see will 2 ) + cuma comer

Related forms:
wel⋅come⋅ness, noun
wel⋅com⋅er, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To Welcome
wel·come   (wěl'kəm)   
adj.  
  1. Received with pleasure and hospitality into one's company or home: a welcome guest.
  2. Giving pleasure or satisfaction; agreeable or gratifying: a welcome respite from hard work.
  3. Cordially or willingly permitted or invited: You are welcome to join us.
  4. Used in the expression you're welcome to acknowledge an expression of gratitude.
n.  
  1. A cordial greeting or hospitable reception given to an arriving person.
  2. A reception upon arrival: gave the stranger an unfriendly welcome.
  3. The state of being welcome: Don't overstay your welcome.
tr.v.   wel·comed, wel·com·ing, wel·comes
  1. To greet, receive, or entertain (another or others) cordially or hospitably.
  2. To receive or accept gladly: would welcome a little privacy.
interj.  Used to greet cordially a visitor or recent arrival.

[Middle English, alteration (influenced by wel, well) of Old English wilcuma, welcome guest, welcome; see gwā- in Indo-European roots.]
wel'come·ly adv., wel'come·ness n., wel'com·er n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

Welcome

Wel"come\, a. [OE. welcome, welcume, wilcume, AS. wilcuma a welcome guest, from wil-, as a prefix, akin to willa will + cuma a comer, fr. cuman to come; hence, properly, one who comes so as to please another's will; cf. Icel. velkominn welcome, G. willkommen. See Will, n., and Come.]

1. Received with gladness; admitted willingly to the house, entertainment, or company; as, a welcome visitor.

When the glad soul is made Heaven's welcome guest. --Cowper.

2. Producing gladness; grateful; as, a welcome present; welcome news. "O, welcome hour!" --Milton.

3. Free to have or enjoy gratuitously; as, you are welcome to the use of my library.

Note: Welcome is used elliptically for you are welcome. "Welcome, great monarch, to your own." --Dryden.

Welcome-to-our-house (Bot.), a kind of spurge (Euphorbia Cyparissias). --Dr. Prior.

Welcome

Wel"come\, n. 1. Salutation to a newcomer. "Welcome ever smiles." --Shak.

2. Kind reception of a guest or newcomer; as, we entered the house and found a ready welcome.

His warmest welcome at an inn. --Shenstone.

Truth finds an entrance and a welcome too. --South.

To bid welcome, to receive with professions of kindness.

To thee and thy company I bid A hearty welcome. --Shak.

Welcome

Wel"come\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Welcomed; p. pr. & vb. n. Welcoming.] [AS. wilcumian.] To salute with kindness, as a newcomer; to receive and entertain hospitably and cheerfully; as, to welcome a visitor; to welcome a new idea. "I welcome you to land." --Addison.

Thus we salute thee with our early song, And welcome thee, and wish thee long. --Milton.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : Welcome
Spanish: bienvenido,
German: willkommen,
Japanese: 歓迎される
More Translations »

welcome 
O.E. wilcuma, exclamation of kindly greeting, from earlier wilcuma (n.) "welcome guest," lit. "one whose coming is in accord with another's will," from willa "pleasure, desire, choice" (see will (v.)) + cuma "guest," related to cuman (see come). Cf. O.H.G. willicomo, M.Du. wellecome. Meaning "entertainment or public reception as a greeting" is recorded from 1530. You're welcome as a formulaic response to thank you is attested from 1907. Welcome mat first recorded 1951; welcome wagon is attested from 1961. The verb is O.E. wilcumian.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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welcome

see warm welcome; wear out one's welcome; you're welcome.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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