welsh
welsh Lexical Profile
welsh Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Relating to Wales, its people, its culture, or the Celtic language spoken there (properly capitalized as Welsh).
"The choir performed several traditional Welsh folk songs during the festival."
• noun
A Brittonic language of the Celtic family native to Wales (properly capitalized as Welsh).
"Road signs throughout the region are printed in both Welsh and English."
The people of Wales, or those of Welsh descent, considered collectively (properly capitalized as the Welsh).
"The Welsh have a long and celebrated tradition of choral singing and poetry."
• verb
To fail to honor a debt, obligation, or agreement (usually followed by 'on'; informal and often offensive).
"He lost the respect of his colleagues after he tried to welsh on their agreement."
Word Nuance & Usage
The lowercase verb 'welsh' (often spelled 'welch'), meaning to fail to honor a debt or obligation, is considered offensive by many because of its perceived derogatory association with the people of Wales; neutral alternatives like 'renege' or 'default' are preferred in formal usage.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
The proper noun and adjective derive from Old English 'Wielisc', meaning 'foreign' or 'Briton', from Proto-Germanic '*walhiskaz', a term applied by Germanic speakers to Celtic and Romanized peoples. The informal verb meaning to evade a debt emerged in mid-19th-century British horse-racing slang.