noun

welfare

WEL-fair/ˈwelfer/

The state of being healthy, happy, and safe.

The family's comfortable home and nourishing meals support everyone's welfare.

A comfortably housed family shares a nourishing meal in a safe bright home, health and well-being.
Etymology

Wel and faran expressed “getting along well”: faran could describe both travel and being in a particular condition. Welfare thus named doing well in life, including the safety and well-being of the person concerned.

In context

Sleepy Historian85:36
political stability above developmental needs, and maintained power structures over the welfare of the children trapped within them.
The Child Kings of Europe and the Men Who Used Them: When Children Ruled Kingdoms | Deep History

More examples

  • Teachers are responsible for the welfare of their students.
  • The shelter puts animal welfare first.
  • Regular breaks and safe equipment help protect workers' welfare.

Forms

welfare

Similar words

well-being
A close equivalent emphasizing a person's overall condition.
health
Focuses on physical or mental condition rather than overall well-being.
safety
Focuses on freedom from danger rather than overall well-being.