Other forms: welts
A welt is a raised mark left on the skin by a blow. Raise a welt, welts across the back, a red welt.
It is swelling rather than bleeding, which is what separates it from a cut, and it is evidence: welts are photographed and dated in assault cases. In shoemaking a welt is the strip of leather joining the upper to the sole, which is a different word.
1nounweltA raised mark left on the skin by a blow.
“The rubber band snapped against her wrist and left a red welt.”
welt is a mark.
Middle English welten, from a Germanic root meaning to turn or roll.
Proto-Indo-European
*wel- — to turn; wind; twist
Proto-Germanic
*waltijaną
Old English
weltan
Middle English
welten
English, today
welt
From Middle English welten, from Old English weltan, wieltan, from Proto-Germanic waltijaną, from Proto-Indo-European wel- (“to turn; wind; twist”). Cognate with German wälzen, Danish vælte, Swedish välta, Icelandic velta.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA