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.