social work

noun

1. organized work directed toward the betterment of social conditions in the community, as by seeking to improve the condition of people in poverty, to promote the welfare of children, etc.

social work

noun

1. any of various social services designed to alleviate the conditions of the poor and aged and to increase the welfare of children

Derived Forms

• social worker, noun

Other Words From

• social worker noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of social work¹

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

That gig, editing a social work journal on the campus of Cal State Long Beach, provided fodder for her newest role: hospital executive director Joyce in the NBC mockumentary sitcom “St. Denis Medical,” premiering Tuesday with two episodes.

From Los Angeles Times

Well, I had been editing a social work journal on the campus of Cal State Long Beach from like 2000 to right before “The Goldbergs” started.

From Los Angeles Times

Hiller has enormous enthusiasm for pop culture, but when he moved to New York, it was ostensibly to pursue a social work master’s degree at NYU.

From Los Angeles Times

According to Dr. David McLeod, professor and interim director at the University of Oklahoma’s School of Social Work, research shows that a threat of being separated from a child can function as a stronger motivator for behavioral control than hitting: “Women would rather die, literally, than be separated from their children.”

From Slate

“Ringfencing spending on teachers forces even deeper cuts on services, including those for children with additional support needs, social work support, early intervention services, cultural services, youth work, and libraries - all of which are vital to supporting children and young people, improving attainment, and closing the poverty-related attainment gap.”

From BBC