welfare

Meaning

Noun

1. Health, safety, happiness and prosperity; well-being in any respect.
2. Various forms of financial aid provided by the government to those who are in need of it.

Verb

To provide with welfare or aid.

Synonyms

well-being

prosperity

weal

wellbeing

good

👍

benefit

happiness

safety

social welfare

well being

good times

public assistance

health

⚕️

fringe benefit

blessing

eudaemonia

peace

☮️

social

upbeat

welfare work

well

eudaimonia

necessary

benevolence

philanthropy

pleasure

fate

prosperousness

right

salute

beneficence

social assistance

social security

social service

convenience

quality of life

ups and downs

vicissitudes

completeness

weal and woe

advantage

wellness

comfortableness

comfort

charity

wheal

material benefits

good fortune

blessed

rise and fall

goodness

good health

happy

😀

morale

national assistance

native

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈwɛlˌfɛə/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: welefare

Cognate with Middle Dutch: welvare

Cognate with Middle Low German: wolvare

Cognate with Middle High German: wolvar

Cognate with Western Frisian: wolfeart

Cognate with Dutch: welvaart

Cognate with German: Wohlfahrt

Cognate with Old Norse: velferð

Cognate with Swedish: välfärd

In summary

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 maintenance of members of a group" from 1918.

Sentences

There is a welfare association which conducts elections every two years .

You'll use your knowledge for the welfare of the oasis and its inhabitants .