Meanings
- Welfare or other financial aid or assistance that benefits the rich or upper class.
In these ways, the rich shelter and protect their income and avoid paying taxes. Allowing the rich to do this is but another form of wealthfare.
1976, Jonathan H. Turner, American Society, Problems of Structure, page 1432 more examples
I delivered your letter to Sir R. W. who directed me to give you his humble service & thanks for it, & to assure you that no friend you have is more concerned for your wealthfare, or more sincerely desires your health which he thinks of the most utmost importance both to himself & the publick
1923, Duncan Warrand, Evan Macleod Barron, Culloden Papers, More Culloden Papers · Volume 2, page 330Wealthfare for the rich costs about 3.5 times as much as welfare for the poor, which is now being cut. Three years of wealthfare costs more than it costs to run the entire federal government for a year.
1998, Robert Cogan, Critical Thinking, Step by Step, page 241
Origin
Blend of wealth + welfare or wealth + fare. First use appears c. 1923. See cite below.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
wealthfare. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/wealthfare
“wealthfare.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/wealthfare. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “wealthfare,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/wealthfare.
Source: wealthfare on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.