weal

Meanings

1. Wealth, riches.
2. Welfare, prosperity.
3. Boon, benefit.
4. Specifically, the general happiness of a community, country etc. (often with qualifying word).

1. A raised, longitudinal wound, usually purple, on the surface of flesh caused by a stroke of a rod or whip; a welt.

1. To mark with stripes; to wale.

Etymology

From Middle English wele, from Old English wela (“wellness, welfare, prosperity, riches, well-being, wealth”), from Proto-West Germanic *welō, from Proto-Germanic *walô (“well-being, wellness, weal”). Cognate with German Wohl, Danish vel, Swedish väl.