Livelihood
/ˈlaɪv.li.hʊd/noun
The means of supporting oneself; a way of earning a living.
Did you know?Unlike words with occult or cursed roots, livelihood is a plain but powerful Old English compound that originally meant the condition of being alive, then the means of surviving.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
liflīcnes
“liveliness; the state of being alive”
Middle English
ME
livelode
“means of living; support; maintenance”
14th Century
English
lyvelode
“that which supports a person's life or sustains them”
16th Century
English
livelihood
“state of having the means to live; maintenance”
Modern English
English
livelihood
“the means of supporting oneself”