welfare mother

American  

noun

1. the mother of dependent children who receives government welfare benefits.

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Etymology

Origin of welfare mother

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

Ruby Duncan, a self-described "welfare mother" on Las Vegas's Westside, was incensed.

From Salon • Jan. 3, 2022

It is a battle between the welfare mother and the bureaucracy of the city, and surprisingly enough it encompasses the yearly battle between the taxpayer and the Internal Revenue Service.

From New York Times • Mar. 29, 2017

"I never knew what that word 'location' meant," said Linda Phillips, 31, a Baltimore welfare mother enrolled in a remedial course about how to look for work.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 14, 2016

At the signing ceremony, the president brought along a former welfare mother from his home state of Arkansas, Lillie Harden, as a speaker and stage piece.

From Slate • Jun. 1, 2016

Mrs. Catherine Jackson, a York, Pa., welfare mother, had her electric power switched off without a hearing in October 1971.

From Time Magazine Archive