social service

American  

noun

• social services
  plural

1. organized welfare efforts carried on under professional auspices by trained personnel.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• social-service
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• social services
  plural

Etymology

Origin of social service

First recorded in 1850–55

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

social service

Counties must invest in pretrial alternatives—such as treatment programs, monitoring, and social service referrals—to provide judges with options beyond money bail or detention.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 6, 2026

John Maceri, chief executive of The People Concern, an L.A.-based nonprofit social service agency focused on ending homelessness, said unhoused people may initially decline resources but that “relentless outreach” is necessary.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 15, 2025

He was speaking on behalf of the Sant'Egidio community, a movement of both lay people and clergy, committed to social service - and the priest was encouraging the students to embrace a pastoral mission.

From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2025

Although CPS is a social service agency, it has a lot of overlap with the criminal justice system.

From Salon ● Apr. 7, 2025

And some evenings I'd catch her and Ty'ree whispering about different doctors, their fees, and social service benefits.

From "Miracle's Boys" by Jacqueline Woodson