welfare
[ wel-fair ]
/ ˈwɛlˌfɛər /
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.
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.
Idioms for welfare
on welfare,
receiving financial aid from the government or from a private organization because of hardship and need.
OTHER WORDS FROM welfare
an·ti·wel·fare, adjectiveWords nearby welfare
Example sentences from the Web for welfare
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
Cultural 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.