sustenance
Something that provides support or nourishmentSomething that provides support or nourishment.
Recorded UK: Speaker: Vealhurl Recorder: Vealhurl, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
» It was a source of sustenance.
MostAssertive · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FRMeaning
1 senses(countable, uncountable)Something that provides support or nourishment.
Nahrung, Verpflegung
пропита́ниеpropitánije
- the act of sustaining life by food or providing a means of subsistence
- a source of materials to nourish the body
- the financial means whereby one lives
Examples
6 sentencesIt was a source of sustenance.
Giraffes rely on acacia leaves for sustenance.
Tom kept two or three cows for the sustenance of his family.
Energy requires sustenance.
Throughout history, the ocean has been a vital source of sustenance, transport, commerce, growth, and inspiration.
Translations
6 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 1
Origin
From Middle English sustenaunce, from Old French sustenance, from sustenir with the suffixFrom Middle English sustenaunce, from Old French sustenance, from sustenir with the suffix -ance, from Vulgar Latin *sustenire, from Latin sustinere. Compare also Late Latin sustinentia. Equivalent to sustain + -ance.
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
plural: sustenances| Singular | sustenance |
|---|---|
| Plural | sustenances |
regular
Synonyms
15 synonyms- the act of sustaining life by food or providing a means of subsistence:sustentationsustainmentmaintenanceupkeep
- a source of materials to nourish the body:nutrimentnourishmentnutritionalimentalimentationvictuals
- the financial means whereby one lives:supportkeeplivelihoodlivingbread and butter
Word family
5 related wordsLessons for this word
1 lessons- A1Countable and uncountable nouns — Because it can be uncountable
See also
neighbours in the dictionaryDictionary text adapted from Wiktionary (Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open English WordNet / Princeton WordNet (CC BY 4.0, WordNet License); shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Example sentences and recordings are credited where they appear.