welch vs welsh

Side by side

welch or welsh?

What is the difference between welch and welsh?

welch means "cheat by avoiding payment of a gambling debt". welsh means "a native or resident of Wales". They are pronounced identically — /ˈwɛltʃ/ — so only the spelling and the meaning separate them.

Which is more common, welch or welsh?

Neither is markedly more common — both sit in the "Familiar" band.

Are welch and welsh pronounced the same?

Yes. Both are /ˈwɛltʃ/, said welch. Words that sound alike and are spelled differently are homophones, and they are the commonest source of written mix-ups in English.

Can welch and welsh be used in the same place in a sentence?

Both work as verbs, so they are grammatically interchangeable. That is exactly what makes the meaning difference worth checking.

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