UNICEF

American  

[yoo-nuh-sef] / ˈju nəˌsɛf /

noun

1. United Nations Children's Fund: an agency, created by the United Nations General Assembly in 1946, concerned with improving the health and nutrition of children and mothers throughout the world; Nobel Peace Prize 1965.

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UNICEF British  

/ ˈjuːnɪˌsɛf /

acronym

1. United Nations Children's Fund (formerly, United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund): an agency of the United Nations that administers programmes to aid education and child and maternal health in developing countries

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Etymology

Origin of UNICEF

U(nited) N(ations) I(nternational) C(hildren's) E(mergency) F(und) (an earlier official name)

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

UNICEF

They came together after Yamal’s mother, Sheila, won a raffle run by a local newspaper and Barcelona’s shirt sponsor, the children’s charity UNICEF.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026

Yamal’s family had entered a charity raffle organized by the Spanish newspaper Diario Sport and the United Nations Children’s Fund, known as UNICEF, and they won a spot in a promotional photo shoot with Messi.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 17, 2026

The European Commission said in a statement that a "humanitarian air bridge" to Bunia, which it has established with UNICEF, flew in the 100 tonnes of aid.

From Barron's ● Jun. 7, 2026

At last the WHO, UNICEF, and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency were able to start vaccinating children.

From Slate ● Oct. 22, 2024

Growing up, the only white men I ever saw worked for either the UN or UNICEF.

From "How Dare the Sun Rise" by Sandra Uwiringiyimana