whelk 1 (hwělk, wělk) n. Any of various large, mostly edible marine snails of the family Buccinidae, having a pointed, spiral shell, especially Buccinum undatum, which is commonly eaten in Europe.
[Middle English welke, whelke, from Old English weoloc; see wel-2 in Indo-European roots.]
whelk 2 (hwělk, wělk) n. An inflamed swelling, such as a pimple or pustule.
[Middle English whelke, from Old English hwylca; akin to hwelian, to suppurate.] whelk'y adj.