subsistence

American  

[suhb-sis-tuhns] / səbˈsɪs təns /

noun

1. the state or fact of subsisting.

2. the state or fact of existing.

3. the providing of sustenance or support.

   Synonyms:

   nourishment, maintenance, survival

4. means of supporting life; a living or livelihood.

5. the source from which food and other items necessary to exist are obtained.

6. Philosophy.

   1. existence, especially of an independent entity.

   2. the quality of having timeless or abstract existence.

   3. mode of existence or that by which a substance is individualized.

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subsistence British  

/ səbˈsɪstəns /

noun

1. the means by which one maintains life

2. the act or condition of subsisting

3. a thing that has real existence

4. the state of being inherent

5. philosophy an inferior mode of being ascribed to the references of general terms which do not in fact exist See also nonbeing

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Other Word Forms

• intersubsistence noun
• nonsubsistence noun
• presubsistence noun
• self-subsistence noun

Etymology

Origin of subsistence

1400–50; late Middle English < Late Latin subsistentia; subsist, -ence

Explanation

Subsistence means the minimal resources that are necessary for survival. If you work for subsistence, you'll probably receive food, water, and lodging (internet access not included). Subsistence can be used in a variety of subtly different ways. In addition to referring to necessities for survival, it can indicate one's means of obtaining those necessities (usually a job). And if you feel like getting philosophical, subsistence can refer to the very act of existence itself.

Example Sentences

Nearly half of India's population also continues to rely on agriculture for subsistence.

From Barron's • Mar. 8, 2026

Jody Baxter lives with his parents on a subsistence farm in the Florida scrub.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 23, 2026

State Supt. of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond described his childhood subsistence on food stamps, free school lunches and surplus government cheese.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 22, 2026

In addition, many present-day hunter-gatherer societies still include scavenging as part of their subsistence practices, demonstrating that it remains a practical and effective strategy.

From Science Daily • Jan. 19, 2026

Farming in the north was subsistence farming, nothing more; and nothing could be less.

From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols

Related Words

• livelihood
• ration
• sustenance