- welter (v.)
- "to roll or twist," c.1300, from Middle Dutch or Middle Low German welteren "to roll," from Proto-Germanic *waltijanan (cf. Old English wieltan, Old Norse velta, Old High German walzan "to turn, revolve," German wälzen "to roll," Gothic waltjan "to roll"), from PIE root *wel- "to turn, revolve" (see vulva). The noun meaning "confused mass" is first recorded 1851.