1 subsistence | Definition of subsistence

subsistence

noun
sub·​sis·​tence | \ sÉ™b-ˈsi-stÉ™n(t)s How to pronounce subsistence (audio) \

Definition of subsistence

1a(1) : real being : existence
(2) : the condition of remaining in existence : continuation, persistence
b : an essential characteristic quality of something that exists
c : the character possessed by whatever is logically conceivable
2 : means of subsisting: such as
a : the minimum (as of food and shelter) necessary to support life
b : a source or means of obtaining the necessities of life

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Other Words from subsistence

subsistent \ sÉ™b-​ˈsi-​stÉ™nt How to pronounce subsistent (audio) \ adjective

Examples of subsistence in a Sentence

They depended on hunting and fishing for subsistence. Farming is their means of subsistence.

Recent Examples on the Web

The one for habitat reports to deputy commissioner Ben Mulligan and the subsistence section reports directly to me. Anchorage Daily News, "Breaking down the Alaska budget’s impact on commercial fisheries," 3 Sep. 2019 Indigenous and traditional subsistence communities regularly report physical violence in confrontations resulting from incursions onto their land. Time, "The Real Reason the Amazon Is On Fire," 26 Aug. 2019 Coffee could produce 10 times more income than maize or other subsistence crops grown by local farmers, said Jordan. Washington Post, "Coffee growers help reforest Mozambique’s Mount Gorongosa," 25 Aug. 2019 In the Inupiat village of Wales on the Seward Peninsula, residents said the lack of sea ice has disrupted their subsistence way of life. Geof Koss, Scientific American, "Alaska Reels During Summer of Fire, Heat and Floods," 21 Aug. 2019 In particular, a drop in coffee prices to all-time lows and decreased production, due in part to five years of coffee rust fungus outbreaks, has turned farming into subsistence living. Natalie Keyssar, National Geographic, "How this quiet region in Guatemala became the epicenter of migration," 26 July 2019 In the United States, before 1865, the business of farming was, for the most part, a subsistence existence. Kevin Dayhoff, baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll, "Dayhoff: Annual Carroll County 4-H and FFA Fair steeped in history and tradition," 26 July 2019 Patreon isn’t affording luxurious lifestyles, but simply enabling altgame makers to continue their work, sometimes at little more than a subsistence level. Lewis Gordon, The Verge, "Patreon has become a lifeline for creators of weird, alternative games," 14 Aug. 2019 But the family said that moving to the development would doom its ability to live as subsistence farmers and fishermen. Los Angeles Times, "In a battle over land, a Brazilian homestead is demolished," 2 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'subsistence.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of subsistence

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

History and Etymology for subsistence

Middle English, from Late Latin subsistentia, from subsistent-, subsistens, present participle of subsistere

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More Definitions for subsistence

subsistence

noun

English Language Learners Definition of subsistence

: the amount of food, money, etc., that is needed to stay alive

subsistence

noun
sub·​sis·​tence | \ sÉ™b-ˈsis-tÉ™ns How to pronounce subsistence (audio) \

Kids Definition of subsistence

: the smallest amount (as of food and clothing) necessary to support life

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