subsist

English

Etymology

From French subsister, from Latin subsistere (“to take a stand or position, stand still, stop, stay, remain, continue”), from sub (“under”) + sistere (“to cause to stand, place”). Compare consist, desist, exist, insist, persist.

Verb

subsist (third-person singular simple present subsists, present participle subsisting, simple past and past participle subsisted)

1. To survive on a minimum of resources.

   With her current income, Janet cannot thrive, she can only subsist.

2. (philosophy) To have ontological reality; to exist.

Quotations

For usage examples of this term, see the citations page.

Related terms

• subsistence
• subsistent

Translations

to survive

• Finnish: kituuttaa (fi)

• Russian: выживать (ru) (vyživatʹ)

External links

• subsist in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• subsist in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911