ENGLISH
REFERENCE

welsh

n. uncountable
A2 Elementary US //ˈwɛɫʃ// UK //wˈɛlʃ// welsh Archaic Vulgar

n. the language spoken by people in Wales. It is also used to describe the people who come from that country.

n. the Celtic language of Wales, or the people who inhabit Wales collectively. When referring to the language, it is treated as a singular entity; when referring to the people, it is preceded by the definite article.


SIMPLE

She is learning to speak Welsh.

CONTEXTUAL

Many road signs in Cardiff are written in both English and Welsh to support the local culture.

COMPLEX

The survival of Welsh into the modern era is often attributed to its early use in religious texts and its subsequent integration into the national school curriculum.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English Walsch, Welische, from Old English wīelisċ (“Briton; Roman; Celt”), from Proto-West Germanic walhisk, from Proto-Germanic walhiskaz (“Celt; later Roman”), from *walhaz (“Celt, Roman”) (compare Old English wealh), from the name of the Gaulish tribe, the Volcae (recorded only in Latin contexts). This word was borrowed from Germanic into Slavic (compare Old Church Slavonic Влахъ (Vlaxŭ, “Vlachs, Romanians”), Byzantine Greek Βλάχος (Blákhos)). Doublet of Vellish. Compare Walloon, walnut, Vlach, Walach, Gaul, Cornwall.

Usage

Always capitalized. When referring to the people as a group, use 'the Welsh'; for individuals, use 'Welshman' or 'Welshwoman'.

Idioms1 entry

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