subsistence

English

Part or all of this entry has been imported from the 1913 edition of Webster’s Dictionary, which is now free of copyright and hence in the public domain. The imported definitions may be significantly out of date, and any more recent senses may be completely missing.

Etymology

From Late Latin subsistentia (“substance, reality, in Medieval Latin also stability”), from Latin subsistens, present participle of subsistere (“to continue, subsist”); see subsist.

Noun

subsistence (plural subsistences)

1. Real being; existence.
2. Inherency; as, the subsistence of qualities in bodies.
3. That which furnishes support to animal life; means of support; provisions, or that which produces provisions; livelihood; as, a meager subsistence.
   • 1788, Alexander Hamilton, The Federalist, Dawson, Federalist 79, page 548:

     In the general course of human nature, a power over a man's subsistence amounts to a power over his will.

4. (theology) A person, specifically the person of Christ or of another part of the Trinity; hypostasis.

Synonyms

• sustenance
• (theology): hypostasis

Related terms

• subsist
• subsistent

Translations

means of support

Czech: obživa (cs) f. Romanian: subzistență (ro), mijloace de trai (ro)

Serbo-Croatian: izdržavanje (sh) Swedish: underhåll (sv)

External links

• subsistence in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• subsistence in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911