welfare

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   The health, happiness, and general well-being of a person or group.

   The school cares deeply about the welfare of its students.

2. 2
   noun

   Money or help that a government gives to people in need.

   Many families rely on welfare to support their children.

From Middle English welefare, probably from the Old English phrase wel faran (“to fare well, get along successfully, prosper”) (cognate with Middle Dutch welvare (“welfare”), Middle Low German wolvare (“welfare”), Middle High German wolvar, wolfar (“welfare”)). Equivalent to well + fare. Compare also West Frisian wolfeart, Dutch welvaart, German Wohlfahrt, Old Norse velferð (whence Swedish välfärd (“welfare”)). The first recorded use in the sense of "social concern for the well-being of children, the unemployed, etc." is from 1904 and in the sense of "organized effort to provide for maintenanc…

Topics