welcome

UK: /ˈwɛlkəm/ US: /ˈwɛlkəm/ ,(wel′kəm)

Inflections of 'welcome' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

welcomes

v 3rd person singular

welcoming

v pres p

welcomed

v past

welcomed

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

wel•come /ˈwɛlkəm/   interj., n., v., -comed, -com•ing, adj. 
interj. 

1. (used as a greeting, as to one whose arrival gives pleasure):
   Welcome, stranger!

n. [countable]

2. a kindly greeting or reception:
   We gave her a warm welcome.

v. [~ + object]

3. to greet with pleasure or courtesy:
   We welcomed her into our home.
4. to invite or accept with pleasure or courtesy:
   I welcome your comments.

adj. 

5. gladly received:
   a welcome visitor.
6. agreeable:
   a welcome rest.
7. willingly permitted:
   [ be + ~ + to + verb] You are welcome to try it.
8. (used in the phrase You're welcome as a response to thanks):
   "Thank you.'' —"You're welcome.''

wel•come•ness, n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

wel•come  (wel′kəm), interj., n., v., -comed, -com•ing, adj. 
interj. 

1. (a word of kindly greeting, as to one whose arrival gives pleasure):
   Welcome, stranger!

n. 

2. a kindly greeting or reception, as to one whose arrival gives pleasure:
   to give someone a warm welcome.
3. wear out one's welcome, to make one's visits so frequent or of such long duration that they become offensive:
   Your cousins have long since worn out their welcome.

v.t. 

4. to greet the arrival of (a person, guests, etc.) with pleasure or kindly courtesy.
5. to receive or accept with pleasure;
   regard as pleasant or good:
   to welcome a change.
6. to meet, accept, or receive (an action, challenge, person, etc.) in a specified, esp. unfriendly, manner:
   They welcomed him with hisses and catcalls.

adj. 

7. gladly received, as one whose arrival gives pleasure:
   a welcome visitor.
8. agreeable, as something arriving, occurring, or experienced:
   a welcome rest.
9. given full right by the cordial consent of others:
   She is welcome to try it.
10. without obligation for the courtesy or favor received (used as a conventional response to expressions of thanks):
    You're quite welcome.

• Scandinavian; compare Old Norse velkominn, equivalent. to vel well¹ + kominn come (past participle); replacing Old English wilcuma one who is welcome, equivalent. to wil- welcome (see will²) + cuma comer
• Middle English bef. 900

wel′come•ness, n. 
wel′com•er, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

welcome / ˈwɛlkəm/ adjective

1. gladly and cordially received or admitted: a welcome guest
2. bringing pleasure or gratitude: a welcome gift
3. freely permitted or invited: you are welcome to call
4. under no obligation (only in such phrases as you're welcome or he's welcome, as conventional responses to thanks)

sentence_substitute

1. an expression of cordial greeting, esp to a person whose arrival is desired or pleasing

noun

1. the act of greeting or receiving a person or thing; reception: the new theory had a cool welcome
2. wear out one's welcome ⇒ to come more often or stay longer than is acceptable or pleasing

verb (transitive)

1. to greet the arrival of (visitors, guests, etc) cordially or gladly
2. to receive or accept, esp gladly

Etymology: 12th Century: changed (through influence of well¹) from Old English wilcuma (agent noun referring to a welcome guest), wilcume (a greeting of welcome), from wil will² + cuman to come

ˈwelcomely adverb

ˈwelcomer noun