safety

[seyf-tee]

noun

plural

safeties 

1. the state of being safe; freedom from the occurrence or risk of injury, danger, or loss.

2. the quality of averting or not causing injury, danger, or loss.

3. a contrivance or device to prevent injury or avert danger.

4. Also called lock, safety catch, safety lock. a locking or cutoff device that prevents a gun from being fired accidentally.

5. the action of keeping safe.

6. Football.

   1. an act or play in which a player on the offensive team is tackled in his own end zone or downs the ball there, or in which the ball goes out of bounds on a fumble, having last been in bounds in or over the end zone and having last been in the possession of an offensive player.

   2. an award of two points to the opposing team on this play.

   3. Also called safety man. a player on defense who lines up farthest behind the line of scrimmage.

7. Baseball.,  a base hit, especially a one-base hit.

8. Slang.,  a condom.

9. Obsolete.,  close confinement or custody.

safety

/ ˈseɪftɪ /

noun

1. the quality of being safe

2. freedom from danger or risk of injury

3. a contrivance or device designed to prevent injury

4. American football

   1. Also called: safetyman. either of two players who defend the area furthest back in the field

   2. a play in which the offensive team causes the ball to cross its own goal line and then grounds the ball behind that line, scoring two points for the opposing team Compare touchback

Other Word Forms

• self-safety noun
• supersafety noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of safety¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English sauvete, from Middle French; equivalent to safe + -ty ²

Example Sentences

Gabriel said that his extended foray into food safety was an unexpected turn — but one that is personal.

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The Welsh government said it was important to balance the effective use of AI with the safety and wellbeing of pupils and staff.

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The former police officer and his mother Mala successfully sought asylum in the UK after they fled their South East Asian homeland in circumstances they asked not to discuss in public for their own safety.

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Online safety experts say AI churning out questionable stories, propaganda and ads is drowning out human-generated content in some cases, and worsening the information ecosystem.

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They’re willing to accept that their creator is an omnipotent being that’s there with the answers that we don’t need to know for our safety or for whatever divine reason.

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Related Words

• freedom 
• security