early 15c., "existence, independence," from Late Latin subsistentia "substance, reality," in Medieval Latin also "stability," from Latin subsistens, present participle of subsistere "stand still or firm" (see subsist). Latin subsistentia is a loan-translation of Greek hypostasis "foundation, substance, real nature, subject matter; that which settles at the bottom, sediment," literally "anything set under." In the English word, meaning "act or process of support for physical life" is from 1640s.
雙語(yǔ)例句
1. The standard of living today is on the edge of subsistence.
現(xiàn)在的生活水平幾乎快要無(wú)法維持生計(jì)。
來(lái)自柯林斯例句
2. Many black Namibians are subsistence farmers who live in the arid borderlands.