Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

welkin

/ˈwɛlkən/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.79 in modern English

Syllables: wel-kin
IPA: /ˈwɛlkən/

13

Scrabble Score

6

Letters

2

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The sky which appears to an observer on the Earth as a dome in which celestial bodies are visible; the firmament.

noun

The upper atmosphere occupied by clouds, flying birds, etc.

noun

The place above the Earth where God or other deities live; heaven.

Example Sentences

"He leaues the vvelkin vvay moſt beaten playne, / And rapt with vvhirling vvheeles, inflames the ſkyen, / With fire not made to burne, but fayrely for to ſhyne."
"The ſkye it ſeemes vvould povvre dovvn ſtinking pitch, / But that the Sea, mounting to th' vvelkins cheeke, / Daſhes the fire out."
"Come (Sir Page) / Looke on me vvith your VVelkin eye: […]"
"I knowe more then Apollo, / For oft when hee ly’s sleeping / I see yͤ starrs att bloudie warres / In yͤ wounded welkin weeping, […]"
"VVhen ſvvallovvs fleet ſoar high and ſport in air, / He told us that the vvelkin vvou'd be clear."
"Hark hovv all the VVelkin rings / "Glory to the King of Kings, / "Peace on Earth, and Mercy mild, / "God and Sinners reconcil'd!["]"

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English welkne (“weather; heavens; (earlier) cloud”), from Old English wolcnu (“sky, heavens”), plural form of wolcn (“cloud”), from Proto-West Germanic *wolkn (“cloud”), from Proto-Germanic *wulkną (“cloud”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *wĺ̥ɡ-no-m, from *welg- (“damp; wet”). Cognate with Dutch wolk (“cloud”), German Wolke (“cloud”).

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: welkne, wolcnu, *wolkn, *wulkną

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈwɛlkən/
British English: /ˈwɛlkɪn/

Inflected Forms

welkins (plural)

Phrases

make the welkin ring ring the welkins

Frequently Paired Words

ethereal

Synonyms

ether heavens lift celestial sphere sphere empyrean firmament vault of heaven

Questions

How do you pronounce welkin?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈwɛlkən/.
What does welkin mean?: The sky which appears to an observer on the Earth as a dome in which celestial bodies are visible; the firmament.
Where does welkin come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce welkin

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “welkin”.
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