sustenance

(sŭs'tə-nəns)
n.

1. 1. The act of sustaining.
   2. The condition of being sustained.
2. The supporting of life or health; maintenance: "to deliver in every morning six beeves, forty sheep, and other victuals for my sustenance" (Jonathan Swift).
3. Something, especially food, that sustains life or health.
4. Means of livelihood.

[Middle English, from Old French, from sustenir, to sustain. See sustain.]

View more Health videos

noun

1. Something fit to be eaten: aliment, bread, comestible, diet, edible, esculent, fare, food, foodstuff, meat, nourishment, nurture, nutriment, nutrition, pabulum, pap, provender, provision (used in plural), victual. Slang chow, eats, grub. See ingestion.
2. That which sustains the mind or spirit: aliment, bread, food, nourishment, nutriment, pabulum, pap. See care for/neglect, ingestion.
3. The means needed to support life: alimentation, alimony, bread, bread and butter, keep, livelihood, living, maintenance, subsistence, support, upkeep. See money.

n

Definition: necessities for existence
Antonyms: extras

IN BRIEF: n. - The act of maintaining life by food or providing a means of living; A source of materials to nourish the body; The financial means whereby one lives.

Tutor's tip: This word was used in the 2006 Scripps National Spelling Bee finals.

LearnThatWord.com is a free vocabulary and spelling program where you only pay for results!

n

The act or process of supporting or maintaining life and health.

For a list of words related to sustenance, see:

• Food in General - sustenance: any substance consumed to keep one alive
• Practice, Discipline, and Belief - sustenance: spiritual nourishment or support; source of strength

---

See words rhyming with "sustenance."

Dansk (Danish)
n. - livsophold, underhold, næring

Nederlands (Dutch)
levensonderhoud, alimentatie, voedsel

Français (French)
n. - valeur nutritive, nourriture, alimentation, (fig) nourriture

Deutsch (German)
n. - Nahrung

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - μέσο συντήρησης, μέσο βιοπορισμού, διατροφή, τρόφιμα

Italiano (Italian)
sostentamento

Português (Portuguese)
n. - mantimento (m)

Русский (Russian)
средства к существованию, пища, предметы первой необходимости, жизнеобеспечение

Español (Spanish)
n. - manutención, alimentos, sustento

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - näring, uppehälle, levebröd, utkomst, stöd, styrka

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
食物, 粮食, 生计, 营养, 支持, 供养, 维持

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 食物, 糧食, 生計, 營養, 支援, 供養, 維持

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 생계, 살림, 음식

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 生計, 食物, 維持, 栄養, 耐久

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) تغذيه , عون , مساندة‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮מזון, הזנה, מחיה, תמיכה‬

If you are unable to view some languages clearly, click here.

To select your translation preferences click here.