Subsistence

noun

/səbˈsɪstəns/

The condition of maintaining life at a minimum level, having just enough food, money, or resources to survive.

✍️ Usage in a UPSC answer

For millions of marginal farmers dependent on a single monsoon, agriculture remains a precarious mode of subsistence rather than a source of surplus, making crop insurance and assured procurement indispensable instruments of agrarian justice.

Synonyms

sustenancelivelihoodsurvivalmaintenanceupkeepexistence

Antonyms

affluenceabundancesurplusprosperity

🌱 Word Family

subsist (v), subsisting (v pres.p), subsistent (adj), subsistence (n), subsistence-level (adj compound)

🔡 Root

Latin sub- = under + sistere = to stand; subsistentia = substance, reality; via French subsistance

📜 Etymology

From Latin subsistentia ("substance, reality"), via French subsistance, from sub- ("under") + sistere ("to stand"); entered English in the early 15th century.

🧠 Memory Hook

Sub- ("under") + sist ("stand", as in "exist") — to barely "stand under" the bare minimum needed to keep existing; subsistence is living right at the floor of survival.

📝 Seen in UPSC Question Papers

Mains 2020 · GS4 · 20 marks — Ethics in Public Administration
Mains 2020 · GS4 · 20 marks — Ethics / Integrity / Aptitude

Real UPSC previous-year questions whose text uses “Subsistence” — proof this word earns its place on your list.

💰 Indian Economy 📖 Seen in: Poverty, Inequality & Employment — Mea...

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