Sustentation

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Sustentation \Sus`ten*ta"tion\, n. [L. sustentatio sustenance,
     maintenance, fr. sustentare to support, maintain, v. intens.
     fr. sustinere to sustain: cf. F. sustentation. See
     {Sustain}.]
     1. The act of sustaining, or the state of being sustained;
        preservation from falling; support; sustenance;


        maintenance.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Physiol.) The aggregate of the functions by which a
        living organism is maintained in a normal condition of
        weight and growth.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     {Sustentation fund} (Eccl.), a fund of a religious body for
        support of its ministers, chapels, etc.; as, the
        sustentation fund of the Free Church of Scotland.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  sustentation
       n : the act of sustaining life by food or providing a means of
           subsistence; "they were in want of sustenance"; "fishing
           was their main sustainment" [syn: {sustenance}, {sustainment},
            {maintenance}, {upkeep}]