weal

Meanings

Noun

• Wealth, riches.
• Welfare, prosperity.
• Boon, benefit.
• Specifically, the general happiness of a community, country etc. (often with qualifying word).
• A raised, longitudinal wound, usually purple, on the surface of flesh caused by a stroke of a rod or whip; a welt.

Verb

• To mark with stripes; to wale.

Origin

• From Middle English wele, from Old English wela, from Proto-Germanic *walô. Cognate with German Wohl, Danish vel, Swedish väl.
• See wale.