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Origin and history of welcome

welcome(n.)

late Old English wilcumwilcuma "welcome!" an exclamation of kindly greeting. The word itself is Old English wilcuma (n.) "welcome guest," etymologically "one whose coming suits another's will or wish." It is a compound of willa "pleasuredesirechoice" (see will (n.)) + cuma "guest," which is related to cuman "to come" (see come (v.)). The first element has been assimilated to well (adv.). Similar formation in Old High German willicomoMiddle Dutch wellecome.

It is attested by 1520s as "a kindly greeting to one comingassurance of welcome" as well as "entertainment or public reception as a greeting."

The surnamealso Wellcomeetc.is attested from 13c.presumably from the adjective in many cases but the Oxford "Dictionary of English Surnames" also points to place-names Welcombe and 13c. forms that seem to point to well-kembed "well-kemptwith a well-trimmed beard" (as Lovekyn Welikembd) and notes "the nickname was not uncommon ...."

welcome(v.)

Middle English welcomen "speak words of greeting; greet the coming of with pleasure," from Old English wilcumianfrom wilcuma "welcome guest," also a greeting to one (see welcome (n.)). Related: Welcomed; welcoming.

welcome(adj.)

"acceptable as a visitor," late Old English wilcumawilcumefrom the use of the noun as a greeting (see welcome (n.))with first element assimilated to well (adv.). From c. 1200 of eventsetc."gladly or willingly permitted." Related: Welcomely; welcomeness.

You're welcome as a formulaic response to thank you is attested by 1907. Welcome mat is by 1908; welcome wagon is attested from 1940.

Entries linking to welcome

come(v.)

elementary intransitive verb of motionOld English cuman "to move with the purpose of reachingor so as to reachsome point; to arrive by movement or progression;" also "move into viewappearbecome perceptible; come to oneselfrecover; arrive; assemble" (class IV strong verb; past tense cuomcompast participle cumen)from Proto-Germanic *kwem- (source also of Old Saxon cumanOld Frisian kumaMiddle Dutch comenDutch komenOld High German quemanGerman kommenOld Norse komaGothic qiman)from PIE root *gwa- "to gocome."

The substitution of Middle English -o- for Old English -u- was a scribal habit before minims to avoid misreading the letters in the old handwritingwhich jammed them together (see U). Modern past tense form came is Middle Englishprobably from Old Norse kvamreplacing Old English cuom.

Meaning "to happenoccur" is from early 12c. (come to pass "happenoccur" is from 1520s). As an invitation to actionc. 1300; as a call or appeal to a person (often in expanded forms: "comecome," "comenow")mid-14c. Come again? as an off-hand way of asking "what did you say?" is attested by 1884. For sexual sensessee cum.

Remarkably productive with prepositions (NTC's "Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs" lists 198 combinations); consider the varied senses in come to "regain consciousness," come over "possess" (as an emotion)come at "attack," come on (interj.) "be serious," and come off "occurhave some level of success" (1864). Among other common expressions are:

To come down with "become ill with" (a disease)1895; come inof a radio operator"begin speaking," 1958; come on "advance in growth or development," c. 1600; come outof a young woman"make a formal entry into society," 1782; come round "return to a normal state or better condition," 1841; come through "act as desired or expected," 1914; come up "arise as a subject of attention," 1844; come up with "producepresent," 1934.

To have it coming "deserve what one suffers" is from 1904. To come right down to it "get to fundamental facts" is from 1875.

welcoming

from c. 1300 as a noun"action of greeting kindly." By 1650s as an adjective"that welcomes;" both from welcome (v.). Related: Welcomingly; welcomingness.