welfare

[ wel-fair ]

/ ˈwɛlˌfɛər /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR welfare ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

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.

welfare work.

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.

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

Nearby words

Idioms

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

Origin of welfare

1275–1325; Middle English, from phrase wel fare. See well¹, fare

Related formsan·ti·wel·fare, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for welfare

It was a Republican Congress working with a Democratic president that succeeded in passing the welfare reform bill the first time.
To GOP Congress, as Usual, It’s Welfare on the Chopping Block|Monica Potts|December 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This welfare spending discourages work, increases taxes, and operates as a hidden and inefficient subsidy to low-wage businesses.
To Make Their Victory Durable, the GOP Must Fix the Minimum Wage|Dmitri Mehlhorn|November 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But they were not making enough profits, as the rate of growth had slowed as Brazil invested in the welfare of its own people.
What Brazil’s Dilma Rousseff Can Teach Hillary Clinton|Heather Arnet|October 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
If government planning and welfare had the answer, shouldn't we expect government to read the score to us once in a while?
Remembering Reagan’s Defining Speech|Stuart Stevens|October 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Supporting the health and welfare of these remarkable children is our only priority.
The Shocking Rise and Fall of ‘Honey Boo Boo’|Kevin Fallon|October 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Proceed, I beseech you, I am most anxious to know of the welfare of this Arderne.
William Shakespeare as he lived.|Henry Curling
The welfare of the whole kingdom depended on the manner in which the king acted towards the god.
Myths of Babylonia and Assyria|Donald A. Mackenzie
Only two aims in life—the glory of the Church and the welfare of the rising generation.
The Eternal City|Hall Caine
Does the sun, with all its retinue of stars, pursue its daily course with no aim ulterior to man's welfare?
The World's Great Sermons, Volume 5: Guthrie to Mozley|Various
Too many of our welfare programs have problems from beginning to end.
Complete State of the Union Addresses from 1790 to 2006|Various

British Dictionary definitions for welfare

welfare

/ (ˈwɛlˌfɛə) /

noun

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

financial and other assistance given to people in need
(as modifier)welfare services

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

the welfare informal, mainly British the public agencies involved with giving such assistance

on welfare mainly US and Canadian in receipt of financial aid from a government agency or other source

Word Origin for welfare

C14: from the phrase wel fare; related to Old Norse velferth, German Wohlfahrt; see well 1, fare

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for welfare

welfare

Old English wel faran "condition of being or doing well," from wel (see well (adv.)) + faran "get along" (see fare (v.)). Cf. Old Norse velferð. Meaning "social concern for the well-being of children, the unemployed, etc." is first attested 1904. Welfare state is recorded from 1941.

Culture definitions for welfare

welfare

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.