the health, happiness, and fortunes of a person or group
example
The government has implemented several programs aimed at improving the welfare of low-income families.
synonyms
well-beingprosperitywelfare state
word origin — Middle English, from Old English 'wel' (well) + 'faru' (journey, way, condition)
SAT Vocabulary Level 1 — Set 213
Set 213 of SAT Vocabulary Level 1 covers 5 words: welfare, contour, epoch, overlap, talent. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.
welfare · noun/ˈwɛlˌfɛr/
the health, happiness, and fortunes of a person or group
The government has implemented several programs aimed at improving the welfare of low-income families.
Synonyms: well-being, prosperity, welfare state
Origin: Middle English, from Old English 'wel' (well) + 'faru' (journey, way, condition)
contour · noun/ˈkɑnˌtʊr/
the outline or shape of an object or figure
The soft contours of the hills created a beautiful landscape that seemed to stretch on forever.
Synonyms: outline, shape, silhouette
Origin: from French 'contour', from Latin 'contourus' meaning 'to draw together, outline'
epoch · noun/ˈiːpɑk/
a period in history or a person's life marked by notable events or particular characteristics
The discovery of electricity marked a significant epoch in the history of science.
Synonyms: era, age, period
Origin: The word 'epoch' comes from the Greek word 'epokhē', which means 'a stop, pause', from 'epokhein', meaning 'to hold, to stop'.
overlap · noun/ˈoʊ.və.læp/
the area in which two or more things cover each other
There is a significant overlap in the responsibilities of the two departments, leading to confusion about who is in charge.
Synonyms: correlation, intersection, overlap zone
Origin: The word 'overlap' originates from Middle English 'overlappen,' which is a combination of 'over-' meaning 'above' or 'on top of' and 'lappen' meaning 'to fold' or 'to cover.'
talent · noun/ˈtælənt/
natural aptitude or skill
Her artistic talent was evident from a young age, showcasing her natural ability to create beautiful paintings.
Synonyms: ability, skill, gift
Origin: from Middle English talent, from Latin talentum 'a balance, a sum of money', from Greek talanton 'a balance, weight, money', later used in the sense of a natural aptitude or skill.