safety

[ seyf-tee ]

noun

, plural safe·ties.

1. the state of being safe; freedom from the occurrence or risk of injury, danger, or loss.
2. the quality of averting or not causing injury, danger, or loss.
3. a contrivance or device to prevent injury or avert danger.
4. Also called lock, safety catch, safety lock. a locking or cutoff device that prevents a gun from being fired accidentally.
5. the action of keeping safe.
6. Football.
   1. an act or play in which a player on the offensive team is tackled in his own end zone or downs the ball there, or in which the ball goes out of bounds on a fumble, having last been in bounds in or over the end zone and having last been in the possession of an offensive player. Compare touchback.
   2. an award of two points to the opposing team on this play.
   3. Also called safety man. a player on defense who lines up farthest behind the line of scrimmage.
7. Baseball. a base hit, especially a one-base hit.
8. Slang. a condom.
9. Obsolete. close confinement or custody.

safety

/ ˈseɪftɪ /

noun

1. the quality of being safe
2. freedom from danger or risk of injury
3. a contrivance or device designed to prevent injury
4. American football
   1. Also calledsafetyman either of two players who defend the area furthest back in the field
   2. a play in which the offensive team causes the ball to cross its own goal line and then grounds the ball behind that line, scoring two points for the opposing team Compare touchback

Other Words From

• self-safety noun
• super·safety noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of safety¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English sauvete, from Middle French; equivalent to safe + -ty ²

Example Sentences

The Federal Trade Commission released a report Thursday slamming social media platforms including Facebook’s parent company, Meta, as well as TikTok, Google-owned YouTube, Snap and other online services over privacy and youth safety concerns.

From Los Angeles Times

The Saints are only given a 5.2% of survival by Opta, despite being only four points off safety at this stage.

From BBC

A safety who usually subbed for Foster to give him occasional breathers had gotten hurt the week before, forcing him to play the entire game.

From Los Angeles Times

The firm Harmony CCS Limited, which is based in Belfast, was prosecuted and pleaded guilty to a single health and safety breach.

From BBC

“The only thing that was important to me was safety. All my mind was about that: am I going to find safety or not?”

From BBC

Related Words

• freedom
• security