subsist

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To stay alive with only the bare minimum of food or resources.

   During the siege, the villagers subsisted on bread and water.

2. 2
   verb

   To continue to exist or remain in a particular state.

   Old tensions still subsist between the two neighbouring countries.

From Latin subsistō (“halt, stop”), from sub (“below”) + sistō (“stand, place”). Compare consist, desist, exist, insist, persist.

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