subsistencia

subsistence, survival

noun soob-sees-TEN-syah Rare

Origin: From Latin subsistentia (existence, support).

Usage Note

Subsistencia refers to the minimum needed to survive, as in economía de subsistencia (subsistence economy). It is more formal than supervivencia (survival) and carries the specific sense of barely meeting basic needs. The plural subsistencias can refer to provisions or food supplies.

Examples

"Cultivan la tierra para su subsistencia."

Natural Translation

They farm the land for their subsistence.

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