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sustenance

[ suhs-tuh-nuhns ]
/ ˈsʌs tə nəns /
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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.
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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. 2023

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
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