welcoming
welcoming
UK[ˈwelkəmɪŋ]US[ˈwelkəmɪŋ]
adj
friendly and making you feel happy and accepted
adj
(of a place or thing) pleasant and inviting, making you feel comfortable
Morpheme Breakdown
welcom
ing
welcom
greet kindly
ing
adjective-forming suffix
Etymology
the word 'welcoming' is built upon the core concept of 'welcome', which originates from the old english compound 'wilcuma', literally meaning a 'pleasure-guest' or a desired comer. the 'wel-' element is related to 'will' and denotes desire or pleasure, while '-come' relates to the arrival of a guest. the addition of the '-ing' suffix, a productive participial ending in english, transforms the verb into an adjective, describing the act or quality of receiving someone warmly. thus, the modern abstract meaning of a friendly, receptive, and inviting atmosphere logically extends from the ancient notion of greeting a desired arrival with pleasure.
Analysis
Structure: welcom (greet kindly) + ing (adjective-forming suffix)
welcom is derived from old english 'wilcuma' (a desired guest), from 'wil-' (desire, pleasure) + 'cuma' (guest, comer). the suffix -ing is from old english '-ende', a present participle ending used to form adjectives.
Examples
the hotel staff gave us a very welcoming smile.
the living room felt cozy and welcoming.
she has a naturally welcoming personality that puts people at ease.