What does "welcome" mean?
Welcome: Producing gladness; grateful; as, a welcome present; welcome news. "O, welcome hour!" Milton.
Additional senses
- 2.Free to have or enjoy gratuitously; as, you are welcome to the use of my library. Note: Welcome is used elliptically for you are welcome. "Welcome, great monarch, to your own." Dryden. Welcome-to-our-house (Bot.), a kind of spurge (Euphorbia Cyparissias). Dr. Prior.
- 3.Salutation to a newcomer. "Welcome ever smiles." Shak.
- 4.Kind reception of a guest or newcomer; as, we entered the house and found a ready welcome. His warmest welcome at an inn. Shenstone. Truth finds an entrance and a welcome too. South. To bid welcome, to receive with professions of kindness. To thee and thy company I bid A hearty welcome. Shak.
- 5.To salute with kindness, as a newcomer; to receive and entertain hospitably and cheerfully; as, to welcome a visitor; to welcome a new idea. "I welcome you to land." Addison. Thus we salute thee with our early song, And welcome thee, and wish thee long. Milton.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00