wealca
.
Searchable Lemmata: wealca (OE).
Alternate Forms: gwalc, walcan, wealcan.
Definitions and Defining Citations:
1(n.)
Garment;
in Old English, normally a word for a wave. In an adaption of Genesis, used in reference to the (billowing?) clothing worn by Tamar to disguise herself from Judah (so that he thinks she is a prostitute); translating Latin theristrum (see terestre), a lightweight summer garment.(ante 1100)
1. Þa dyde heo of hyre wuduwan reaf & nam hyre walcan & scrydde hi mid oðrum reaue & eode & sæt on þam wege þe læg to þamnatha; forðam þe sela for his geoguðe hi genam to gemæccan.
[DOE Gen (Ker) (0045 (38.14))]
Sex: Female Ceremonial: No
Body Parts:
Etymological Evidence:
Definite, probably the same word as Old English wealca 'wave, rolling thing', nominal formation from the verb wealc(i)an 'to roll, move, waulk' (see waulk); it is just possible that the noun is directly derived from the verb in the sense 'to full', but all other instances of the noun in OE agree on the 'wave, rolling thing' sense., and here the word is probably intended to mean either 'billowing light garment' or 'garment wrapped around'.
Old English wealca was borrowed into Welsh as gwalc, with the sense 'rolling, curling thing' and was used in the medieval period to refer to curling locks of hair, the hair of the crown of the head, etc. In the post-medieval period it also referred to projecting brims of hats, ridges, parapets, etc. (all from the 'crown of the head' sense).
WF: Derivation
Etym Cog: gwalc (W).
References:
