welfare

 
Pronunciation: /ˈwɛlfɛː/

noun

[mass noun]
  • 1the health, happiness, and fortunes of a person or group: they don’t give a damn about the welfare of their families
  • 2statutory procedure or social effort designed to promote the basic physical and material well-being of people in need: the protection of rights to education, housing, and welfare
  • chiefly North American financial support given to those who are unemployed or otherwise in need: critics feared an increase in inequalities in the provision of welfare

Origin:

Middle English: from the adverb well1 + the verb fare