verb

whelm

Whelm (verb) means to bury, to cover; to engulf, to submerge.

verb

To bury, to cover; to engulf, to submerge.

To throw (something) over a thing so as to cover it.

To ruin or destroy.

To overcome with emotion; to overwhelm.

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Etymology

From Middle English whelmen (“to turn over, capsize; to invert, turn upside down”), perhaps from Old English *hwealmnian, a variant of *hwealfnian, from hwealf (“arched, concave, vaulted; an arched or vaulted ceiling”), from Proto-West Germanic *hwalb, from Proto-Germanic *hwalbą (“arch, vault”), from Proto-Indo-European *kʷelp- (“to curve”). Cognates The English word is cognate with Dutch welven (“to arch”), Old Saxon bihwelvian (“to cover, hide”), German wölben (“to bend, curve, arch”), Icelandic hvelfa (“to overturn”), German Walm (“a vaulted roof”), Icelandic hvolf (“vaulted ceiling”), Ancient Greek κόλπος (kólpos, “bosom, hollow, gulf”). The noun is derived from the verb.

Rhymes for whelm

elm helm

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Frequently asked questions

What is the meaning of whelm?

"whelm" (verb) means to bury, to cover; to engulf, to submerge.

What are the different meanings of whelm?

"whelm" has 3 main meanings: 1. To bury, to cover; to engulf, to submerge; 2. To throw (something) over a thing so as to cover it; 3. To ruin or destroy.