whelk

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English

a whelk shell

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

From Middle English whelke, a variant of welk, from Old English weoloc, wiloc, wioloc, weluc, from Proto-West Germanic *weluk (compare Middle Dutch willoc, Dutch wulk), perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *welH- (“to turn, revolve”) (whence vulva and volute). Unetymological spelling with wh- from the 15th century.[1]

Noun

whelk (plural whelks)

  1. Certain edible sea snails, especially, any one of numerous species of large marine gastropods belonging to Buccinidae, much used as food in Europe.
Synonyms
Derived terms
Translations

Etymology 2

From Middle English whelke, from Old English hwelca (“pustule, swelling”).

Noun

whelk (plural whelks)

  1. (archaic) Pimple.
  2. A stripe or mark; a ridge; a wale.
Derived terms

References

  1. ^ Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “whelk”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.

Further reading

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