Dictionary.com

sustenance

[ suhs-tuh-nuhns ]
/ ˈsʌs tə nəns /
Save This Word!

noun

means of sustaining or supporting life or health; nourishment, especially food and drink: The small farm provided sustenance for the family of four during tough times.
one's means of livelihood: Buying handmade cloth from weavers ensures their sustenance.
something that sustains or comforts, especially a source of spiritual support: He is strong and peaceful and confident in the love of Jesus Christ, which is his sustenance right now.
the process of sustaining: Critical journalism has played an invaluable role in the sustenance of democratic governance in Nigeria.
the state of being sustained: Forest-clearing technology may be viewed as a useful tool contributing to human sustenance and self-sufficiency.

QUIZZES

THIS PASTA QUIZ IS A TORTELLINI FUN CHALLENGE!

Whether you're feeling a little fusilli or saucy, this quiz on pasta names is meant for you! Take the quiz to see if you have your pasta facts just right. The pasta-bilities are endless.
Question 1 of 10
Which pasta name means “butterflies”?

Meet Grammar Coach

Write or paste your essay, email, or story into Grammar Coach and get grammar helpImprove Your Writing

Meet Grammar Coach

Improve Your Writing
Write or paste your essay, email, or story into Grammar Coach and get grammar help

Origin of sustenance

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English sustenaunce, sustinaunce, from Anglo-French sustenance, from Old French sostenance; see origin at sustain, -ance

OTHER WORDS FROM sustenance

sus·te·nance·less, adjectivenon·sus·te·nance, nounself-sus·te·nance, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

How to use sustenance in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for sustenance

sustenance
/ (ˈsʌstənəns) /

noun

means of sustaining health or life; nourishment
means of maintenance; livelihood
Also: sustention (səˈstɛnʃən) the act or process of sustaining or the quality of being sustained

Word Origin for sustenance

C13: from Old French sostenance, from sustenir to sustain
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
FEEDBACK