Wel"kin (?), n. [OE. welken, welkene, welkne, wolcne, weolcne, AS. wolcen, pl. wolcnu, a cloud; akin to D. wolk, OFries. wolken, OS. wolkan, G. wolke, OHG. wolchan, and probably to G. welk withered, OHG. welc moist, Russ. & OSlav. vlaga moisture, Lith. vilgyti to moisten.]
The visible regions of the air; the vault of heaven; the sky.
On the welkne shoon the sterres lyght.
Chaucer.
The fair welkin foully overcast.
Spenser.
When storms the welkin rend.
Wordsworth.
⇒ Used adjectively by Shakespeare in the phase, "Your welkin eye," with uncertain meaning.
© Webster 1913.