n.
an instance or manner of greeting someone.
▸a pleased or approving reaction.
exclam.
used to greet someone in a glad or friendly way.
v.
- greet (someone arriving) in a glad, polite, or friendly way.
- be glad to receive or hear of:
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the decision was widely welcomed.
adj.
- (of a guest or new arrival) gladly received.
- very pleasing because much needed or desired.
- allowed or invited to do a specified thing:
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you are welcome to join in.
▸
(
welcome to)
used to indicate relief at relinquishing something to another:
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you're welcome to it!
Derivative
- welcomely adv.
- welcomeness n.
- welcomer n.
- welcoming n. & adj.
- welcomingly adv.
Etymology
OE wilcuma ‘a person whose coming is pleasing’, wilcumian (v.), from wil- ‘desire, pleasure’ + cuman ‘come’; change to wel- influenced by OFr. bien venu or ON velkominn.
