welfare

American  

[wel-fair] / ˈwɛlˌfɛər /

noun

1. the good fortune, health, happiness, prosperity, etc., of a person, group, or organization; well-being.

   to look after a child's welfare; the physical or moral welfare of society.

2. welfare work.

3. financial or other assistance to an individual or family from a city, state, or national government.

   Thousands of jobless people in this city would starve if it weren't for welfare.

4. (initial capital letter) a governmental agency that provides funds and aid to people in need, especially those unable to work.

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idioms

1. on welfare, receiving financial aid from the government or from a private organization because of hardship and need.

welfare British  

/ ˈwɛlˌfɛə /

noun

1. health, happiness, prosperity, and well-being in general

2. 1. financial and other assistance given to people in need

   2. ( as modifier )

      welfare services

3. Also called: welfare work.  plans or work to better the social or economic conditions of various underprivileged groups

4. informal the public agencies involved with giving such assistance

5. in receipt of financial aid from a government agency or other source

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welfare Cultural  

1. Government-provided support for those unable to support themselves. In the United States, it is undertaken by various federal, state, and local agencies under the auspices of different programs, the best known of which are Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) and food stamps.

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Other Word Forms

• antiwelfare adjective

Etymology

Origin of welfare

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English, from phrase wel fare; equivalent to well ¹ + fare

Example Sentences

But economists have sounded the alarm that some of the extra spending is being directed towards plugging holes in the budget for welfare spending and other short-term outlays, rather than towards long-term investments.

From Barron's

"The culture of safety and welfare at our school now is unrecognisable from the past," she said.

From BBC

Marineland has said all the beluga deaths at the park resulted from natural causes, but animal welfare officials from the province of Ontario have been investigating the park for several years.

From Barron's

A Los Angeles jury is poised to consider a central question in the debate over social media and teenage welfare: Are platforms such as Instagram and TikTok causing mental-health disorders?

From The Wall Street Journal

More than 700,000 university graduates are out of work and claiming welfare benefits, new analysis by a think tank suggests.

From BBC

Related Words

• benefit
• health
• interest
• progress
• prosperity
• weal
• well-being