whelk

• IPA^(key): /wɛlk/
• (without the wine–whine merger) IPA^(key): /hwɛlk/
• Rhymes: -ɛlk

From Middle English whelke, a variant of Middle English welke, from Old English weoloc, wiloc, wioloc, weluc, from Proto-Germanic *welukaz (“snail”) (compare Middle Dutch willoc, Dutch wulk), perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *wel- (“to turn, revolve”) (whence vulva and volute) Spelling wh- from 15th century.[1]

whelk (plural whelks)

1. Certain edible sea snails, especially, any one of numerous species of large marine gastropods belonging to Buccinidae, much used as food in Europe.

• Asian rapa whelk
• dog whelk
• veined rapa whelk

From Middle English whelke, from Old English hwelca (“pustule, swelling”).

whelk (plural whelks)

1. (archaic) Pimple
2. A stripe or mark; a ridge; a wale.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Shakespeare to this entry?)

• chin whelk

• whelk on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Boccinum on Wikispecies.Wikispecies
• Boccinidae on Wikimedia Commons.Wikimedia Commons