From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishsubsistencesub‧sis‧tence /səbˈsɪstəns/ noun [uncountable]1SURVIVEthe condition of only just having enough money or food to stayaliveMany of the families are forced to live at the subsistence level.The land provided subsistence and little more.2 →subsistence farming/agriculture etc3 →subsistence allowance/payment etcExamples from the Corpussubsistence• They were prisoners, for the most part, of a subsistenceeconomy.• Factoryworkers were paid a subsistencewage.• Settlers to the area threatened the bears' subsistence.• To receive their full dailysubsistenceallowances, MEPs must have taken part in half the roll-callvotes.• Parties and witnesses are entitled to allowances for loss of earnings, subsistence and travel to and from the tribunal.• In an era of fast food, subsistenceincomes don't make for a culinaryculture.• The vote against a federalguarantee of a minimal, subsistence level of support was a devastating loss to all women.• When accompanied by minimumsubsistencepensions, as in Britain, retirementmeanseconomicdependency.• That is almost 500ドル below the minimum subsistence level for the poorest people in our society.• If overtime is not paid subsistence can be claimed at own base.From Longman Business Dictionarysubsistencesub‧sis‧tence /səbˈsɪstəns/ noun1[uncountable] a small amount of money or food that is just enough to survive onRefugees are dependent for subsistence on support from aid agencies.Unfortunately, these people have become used to living at subsistence levels (=with just enough food etc to survive).Foreign workers are paid subsistence wages by local standards.2subsistence agriculture/farming etcFARMINGfarming in which farmers produce just enough food for their families to live on