sus ‧ te ‧ nance AC /ˈsʌstənəns/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable] formal
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ sustenance , ↑ sustainability ; verb : ↑ sustain ; adjective : ↑ sustainable ≠ ↑ unsustainable ]
[ Date: 1200-1300 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: sustenir ; ⇨ ↑ sustain ]
1 . food that people or animals need in order to live:
Without sustenance, the animals will soon die.
Potatoes were their only means of sustenance.
2 . when something is made to continue:
Elections are necessary for the sustenance of democracy.