Welle

Etymology 1

From Middle High German welle, from Old High German wella, from Proto-West Germanic *wallijā, from Proto-Germanic *wallijǭ (“wave, swirl”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *welH- (“to turn, coil”). Cognate to Old English wealca (“billow”), Albanian valë (“wave”).

Etymology 2

From Proto-Indo-European *uel(H) (“hot, boiling”). Cognate to Old High German walo (“lukewarm”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈvɛlə/

• Audio (Austria):

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• Audio:

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• Homophone: Wälle

Noun

Welle f (genitive Welle, plural Wellen, diminutive Wellchen n)

1. wave (of water)

   Synonym: Woge

2. wave, curve, anything wave-shaped (e.g. hair)
3. shaft (mechanical component)

Further reading

• “Welle” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
• “Welle” in Deutsches Wörterbuch von Jacob und Wilhelm Grimm, 16 vols., Leipzig 1854–1961.
• “Welle” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• “Welle” in Duden online

Alternative forms

• Well

Etymology

From Middle Low German wel, *welle, from Old Saxon wella, walla, from Proto-West Germanic *wallijā (“spring, bubbling, welling, overflowing”). More at well.

Noun

Welle f (plural Wellen)

1. A well; fountain; spring

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈvelə/
• Rhymes: -elə
• Syllabification: Wel‧le

Noun

Welle f

1. plural of Well