[wel-fair] 
| 1. | 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. |
| 2. | welfare work. |
| 3. | 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. |
| 4. | (initial capital letter ) Informal. a governmental agency that provides funds and aid to people in need, esp. those unable to work. |
| 5. | on welfare, receiving financial aid from the government or from a private organization because of hardship and need. |
| wel·fare (wěl'fâr') n.
[Middle English, from wel faren, to fare well, from Old English wel faran : wel, well; see well2 + faran, to get along; see fare.] |
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.