English word origin

Etymology of cwtch

From Welsh cwtsh (“hug, cuddle; little corner, recess”), from Middle English couche. Doublet of couch.

2 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗

In this entry · 2 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗

noun

A cubbyhole or similar hiding place. · A hug or cuddle.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Welsh cwtsh (“hug, cuddle; little corner, recess”), from Middle English couche. Doublet of couch.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Borrowed-form mentioncwtshcy · hug, cuddle; little corner, recess
Derivation mentioncoucheenm
Doublet mentioncouchen

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "bor",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "cy",
        "3": "cwtsh",
        "t": "hug, cuddle; little corner, recess"
      },
      "expansion": "Welsh cwtsh (“hug, cuddle; little corner, recess”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "couche"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English couche"
    },
    {
      "name": "doublet",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "couch"
      },
      "expansion": "Doublet of couch"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "cwtsh",
      "cwtsh#Welsh"
    ],
    [
      "couche",
      "couche#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "couch",
      "couch#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "A cubbyhole or similar hiding place.",
        "A hug or cuddle."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Wales"
      ],
      "recordId": "828da9ec3d72c0b37c511d5188503ef437520e48af6c3e099fd651b1a49faab1",
      "rawRecordSha256": "97eb97f626128783dc958b47574fd92f24982e1c24eb8cdca1a17003e2773898",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 813347
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗

verb

To hug, cuddle, embrace, or comfort. · To crouch or lie (down).

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Welsh cwtsio, from cwtsh + -o (suffix forming verbnouns).

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Borrowed-form mentioncwtsiocy

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "bor",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "cy",
        "3": "cwtsio"
      },
      "expansion": "Welsh cwtsio"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "cwtsio",
      "cwtsio#Welsh"
    ],
    [
      "cwtsh",
      "cwtsh#Welsh"
    ],
    [
      "-o",
      "-o#Welsh"
    ],
    [
      "verbnoun",
      "verbnoun"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "verb",
      "glosses": [
        "To hug, cuddle, embrace, or comfort.",
        "To crouch or lie (down)."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Wales"
      ],
      "recordId": "a1be2a595650bd4ac088677bd7f531fbebb526e7c67345be6a42d26d8d5ab86a",
      "rawRecordSha256": "c53f576b1d9bb797fe6478841fd4a076a781e14d0962602877307c8657366e6b",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 813348
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for cwtch →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger

Machine-source provenance

Source SHA-256: 5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run: 73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID: w-Y3d0Y2g