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human services

American

plural noun

programs or facilities for meeting basic health, welfare, and other needs of a society or group, as people who are poor, sick, or elderly.

Etymology

Origin of human services

First recorded in 1700–10 in the sense “provided by humans,” and in 1935–40 for the current sense

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He served as deputy secretary of health and human services, 2007-09.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 1, 2026

The telehealth coverage is part of a government funding proposal totaling roughly $1.2 trillion in spending for the departments of labor, health and human services, education, defense, transportation and other agencies.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 24, 2026

A community member said she stopped by the reporter’s table at Wat Thai because she is a former health and human services teacher.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 21, 2025

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the United States secretary of health and human services, has some strong opinions about teeth.

From Slate • Jul. 15, 2025

U.S. secretary of health and human services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has directed the U.S.

From Salon • Mar. 12, 2025

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023