welfare

Etymology

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.

noun

1. (uncountable) Health, safety, happiness and prosperity; well-being in any respect.
2. (uncountable, chiefly US) Various forms of financial aid provided by the government to those who are in need of it (often called welfare assistance in UK English).
3. (chiefly US) Such payment.

verb

1. (transitive) To provide with welfare or aid.
   welfaring the poor