Subsist Meaning
/səbˈsɪst/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
verbTo survive on a minimum of resources.
verbTo have ontological reality; to exist.
Sentence Examples
Giraffes subsist mainly on acacia leaves.
CEFR Practice Quiz
During the drought, the villagers had to ____ on just one meal per day.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Many of the refugees had to ____ on very small amounts of rice and clean water for several weeks today.
Word Origin & History
From Latin subsistō (“halt, stop”), from sub (“below”) + sistō (“stand, place”). Compare consist, desist, exist, insist, persist.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"It cannot be denied it is (if not the moſt of any) a very abſtemious animall, and ſuch as by reaſon of its frigidity, paucity of bloud, and latitancy in the winter (about which time the obſervations are often made) will long ſubſist without a viſible ſuſtentation."
— 1650, Thomas Browne, “Of the Cameleon”, in Pseudodoxia Epidemica: […], 2nd edition, London: […] A[braham] Miller, for Edw[ard] Dod and Nath[aniel] Ekins, […], →OCLC, 3rd book, page 133:
"Let us, this day, imitate his Example in both theſe Reſpects ; and whilſt we are enjoying the good things of Life, let us remember Thoſe that want even the Neceſſaries and firſt Conveniences of it : And remember them, as We ourſelves ſhould have deſired to be remembred, had it been our ſad Lot, to ſubſiſt on other Mens Charity."
— 1709 December 6, Francis Atterbury, A Sermon Preach’d before the Sons of the Clergy, London: Jonah Bowyer, page 28:
"Remember Man! "the Univerſal Cauſe / Acts not by partial, but by gen’ral Laws ; / And makes what Happineſs we juſtly call / Subſiſt not in the Good of one, but all."
— 1734, [Alexander Pope], An Essay on Man. […], epistle IV, London: […] J[ohn] Wilford, […], →OCLC, page 63, lines 33–36:
"Subject to section 5(1), copyright subsists only by virtue of this Act."
— 2021, Parliament of Singapore, “Copyright Act 2021”, in Republic of Singapore Government Gazette, Acts Supplementᵂⁱᵏⁱˢᵒᵘʳᶜᵉ, page 76:
"Firm we ſubſiſt, yet poſſible to ſwerve / Since Reaſon not impoſſibly may meet / Some ſpecious object by the Foe ſubornd, / And fall into deception unaware, / Not keeping ſtricteſt watch, as ſhe was warnd."
— 1667, John Milton, “Book VIII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 359–63:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
During the drought, the villagers had to ____ on just one meal per day.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Many of the refugees had to ____ on very small amounts of rice and clean water for several weeks today.