Where does “subsistence” come from?
Subsistence comes from Latin subsistentia, from subsistens, the present participle of subsistere, combining sub- (under) with steh₂- (to stand), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots meaning to stand under or support.
subsistence (English): Real being; existence; The act of maintaining...
Definitions
- Real being; existence; The act of maintaining...
Ancestry of “subsistence”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | subsistentia | nominative neuter plural of subsistēns;... |
| 2 | Latin | subsistens | halting, stopping |
| 3 | Latin | subsistō | to halt or stop |
| 4 | Latin | sistō | to cause to stand; to set; to place |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | sistō | stand; place |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | stísteh₂ti | to be standing up, to be getting up |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | steh₂- | to stand |