whelk

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English

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a whelk shell

Alternative forms

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Pronunciation

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Etymology 1

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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

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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
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Translations
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Etymology 2

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

Noun

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whelk (plural whelks)

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

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

Further reading

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