welcome

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   giving pleasure or satisfaction or received with pleasure or freely granted

   a welcome relief

2. 2
   noun

   a greeting or reception

   the proposal got a warm welcome

3. 3
   noun

   the state of being welcome

   don't outstay your welcome

4. 4
   verb

   accept gladly

   I welcome your proposals

5. 5
   adj

   Whose arrival is a cause of joy; received with gladness; admitted willingly to the house, entertainment, or company.

   a welcome visitor

6. 6
   adj

   Producing gladness.

   a welcome turn of events;  welcome news

7. 7
   adj

   Followed by to: free to have or enjoy gratuitously.

   You are welcome to the use of my library.

8. 8
   intj

   Greeting given upon someone's arrival.

   Welcome to the life of Electra Heart!

Etymology

From Middle English welcome, wolcume, wulcume, wilcume, from Old English wilcuma (“a wished-for guest”; compare also wilcume (“welcome!”, interjection)), from Proto-West Germanic *willjakwemō, from Proto-Germanic *wiljakwemô (“a wished-for arrival or guest”), possibly from *wiljakwemaną (“to be welcome”), equivalent to will (“desire”) + come (“comer, arrival”). The component wil- was replaced by wel- when the sense “guest” of the second component was no longer understood, likely under influence from the adverb well. Cognates Cognate with Scots walcome, Yola welcome, welkome, North Frisian welk…