social welfare

American  

noun

1. social services provided by a government for its citizens.

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social welfare British  

noun

1. the various social services provided by a state for the benefit of its citizens

2. (capitals) (in New Zealand) a government department concerned with pensions and benefits for the elderly, the sick, etc

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Etymology

Origin of social welfare

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

At UCLA, the master’s of social welfare — which runs for eight quarter sessions — amounts to more than $65,000 for California residents without financial aid.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026

Leaders have also signalled a willingness to borrow more to fund infrastructure, social welfare, and industrial projects - a departure from past caution over rising debt levels.

From BBC • Mar. 11, 2026

Supporters point to social welfare programs, and record unemployment under his government.

From Barron's • Mar. 11, 2026

Other key targets in the new five-year policy blueprint included forging a unified national market, bolstering domestic consumption, improving social welfare and modernizing the armed forces.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 23, 2025

Helmuth graduates, and May finds him working at the Bieberhaus, the social welfare department at the City Hall.

From "The Boy Who Dared" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti