What is the difference between security and safety?

Security is stability like financial security. Safety is protection from danger.

IMO. Security is protection. A lock, a person, a weapon.

Safety could have more to do with accidental occurrences. A safety helmet, warning lights, seat belts etc…

Security tends to have a more emotional connotation. If I say I’m feeling insecure, that might mean that I’m feeling emotionally unwell in some way, but not necessarily that I’m unsafe.

I agree with @Mariah, there is little practial difference except that “security” is often associated with a state of mind and “safety” is more objective.

Yes, but the difference depends on context and there are various fuzzy connotations and non-literal uses.

For example, @MrGrimm888‘s answer is accurate for a law enforcement or security industry context.

Security can either mean guarding against crime, or a sense of being secure against possible negative events in whatever context the speaker is thinking about (could be @RedDeerGuy1‘s financial context, or it could be @Mariah‘s emotional context (e.g. a sense of security versus insecurity).

Safety tends to be more about being proof against (or the absence of) danger, but people aslo sometimes use safety in non-literal ways.

Great answers @All.

I think in terms of the way one feels, “security” and “safety” may mean the same. I’m inclined to say that they are synonymous in this context. That is, if I feel safe, I wouldn’t hesitate to say that I feel secure.

On the other hand, “security” also refers to documents, especially those related to finance and investment. Similarly, “safety” is also commonly used to mean “a safe place.” In both situations, the words are used as nouns, yet their meanings are different and, importantly, not interchangeable.

I am merely trying to suggest that they have similar meanings in some contexts, but not all.