Sustenance
/ˈsʌs.tə.nəns/noun
Food, drink, and other things needed to live; support or nourishment.
Did you know?The word ultimately comes from Latin *sustinere*, meaning “to hold up, support, endure,” so at its core sustenance is about being physically and spiritually upheld.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ten-
“to stretch, hold, or support”
Latin
Latin
sustinēre
“to hold up, support, endure”
Late Latin
Latin
sustentantia
“support, maintenance”
Old French
Old French
sustenance
“support, maintenance; food”
Middle English
English
sustenaunce
“support, maintenance; nourishment”
Modern English
English
sustenance
“food and drink needed to live; maintenance or support”