whelk¹

/wɛlk/

n.

a predatory marine mollusc with a heavy pointed spiral shell. [Family Buccinidae.]

OE wioloc, weoloc, of unknown origin; spelling perh. influenced by whelk².

whelk²

/wɛlk/

n.

archaic a pimple.

OE hwylca, rel. to hwelian ‘suppurate’.

以上來源於：《簡明牛津英語詞典》