Where does “welkin” come from?
Welkin comes from Middle English welken, Old English wolcnu and wolcen, Proto-Germanic wulkô, and Proto-Indo-European welg- and wel-, ultimately deriving from a root meaning to turn or roll.
welkin (English): The sky, the region of clouds; the upper air;...
Definitions
- The sky, the region of clouds; the upper air;...
Ancestry of “welkin”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | welkne | Alternative form of welken |
| 2 | Old English | wolcnu | nominative/accusative plural of wolcen |
| 3 | Old English | wolcen | Alternative form of wolcn; a convolution, ball,... |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | wulk- | — |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | walkaną | to turn, wind, roll, toss; to wend, walk, wander;... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | wolg- | to twist; turn; move; to turn, twist; to move |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | wel- | to see |