livelihood
Americannoun
noun
Usage
What are other ways to say livelihood? A person’s livelihood is their means of supporting existence, especially financially or vocationally. Do you know the difference between livelihood, living, and maintenance? Find out on Thesaurus.com.
Etymology
Origin of livelihood
before 1000; earlier liveliod, livelihod, alteration (by reanalysis as lively + -hood; compare obsolete livelihood liveliness) of Middle English livelod, Old English līflād conduct of life, way of life ( see life, lode, load)
Explanation
Your livelihood is the job you work at to earn the income that supports you. The word livelihood started out as the Old English līflād, or "course of life," and around the 13th century changed to livelode, which meant "a means of keeping one alive." As "-lode" morphed into "-hood," which meant "state, condition," the meaning of the word also changed to mean support for a person's life. That naturally came to mean your job, which provides the monetary support to keep you going.
Vocabulary lists containing livelihood
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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Can I Work It? Words for "Job"
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"A Modest Proposal" by Jonathan Swift
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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.
Mr. Liu, former chair of the pro-democracy Association for Democracy and People’s Livelihood, reportedly left the police station later Tuesday.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 2, 2025
Livelihood diversification: Currently, to obtain fishing rights, a person must derive the majority of their livelihood from fishing.
From Salon • Dec. 2, 2022
Dr. Daly was a 1996 recipient of a Right Livelihood Award, sometimes described as an “alternative Nobel,” recognizing his “significant contributions to increase the understanding of the relationship between economy, ecology and ethics.”
From Washington Post • Nov. 4, 2022
Recipients of the Right Livelihood Award in recent years have included Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, U.S. civil rights lawyer Bryan Stevenson and imprisoned Iranian lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh.
From Seattle Times • Sep. 28, 2021
In which the Doctor pays a Visit and receives no Fee; and I am obliged to work very hard to procure myself a Livelihood.
From Poor Jack by Marryat, Frederick
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
