Definition of SUBSISTENCE

subsistence

Meanings

Plural: subsistences

Noun

  • minimal (or marginal) resources for subsisting
    • "social security provided only a bare subsistence"
  • a means of surviving
    • "farming is a hard means of subsistence"
  • the state of existing in reality; having substance
  • Real being; existence.
  • The act of maintaining oneself at a minimum level.
  • Inherency.
  • Something (food, water, money, etc.) that is required to stay alive.
  • Embodiment or personification or hypostasis of an underlying principle or quality.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English subsistence; partly from Middle French subsistence (modern French subsistance) and partly from its etymon Late Latin subsistentia (“substance, reality, in Medieval Latin also stability”), from Latin subsistēns, present participle of subsistere (“to continue, subsist”). Perhaps also partly from subsist + -ence.

Scrabble Score: 15

subsistence is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
subsistence is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
subsistence is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 19

subsistence is a valid Words With Friends word