welkin

[ wel-kin ]

noun

, Chiefly Literary.

1. the sky; the vault of heaven.

welkin

/ ˈwɛlkɪn /

noun

1. archaic.
   the sky, heavens, or upper air

Word History and Origins

Origin of welkin¹

before 900; Middle English welken ( e ), Old English welcn, variant of wolcen cloud, sky; cognate with German Wolke cloud

Word History and Origins

Origin of welkin¹

Old English wolcen, welcen; related to Old Frisian wolken, Old Saxon, Old High German wolcan

Example Sentences

And anywhere would be a welkin, let Brittany Griner tell it.

From Los Angeles Times

Charles Wesley wrote a hymn that began “Hark how all the welkin rings/Glory to the king of kings”.

From The Guardian

Until that moment I never quite knew the meaning of the phrase “to make the welkin ring.”

From Literature

The sun of heaven, methought, was loth to set, But stayed, and made the western welkin blush.

From Project Gutenberg

I felt my little car vibrating to their force, as cheers, peal upon peal, came rolling up into the welkin.

From Project Gutenberg