subsisto

Subsisto is a Latin verb of the third conjugation meaning to stand still, to halt, or to stop moving. It can also convey taking a position or stance, resisting pressure, or enduring in a given state. The core sense involves cessation of movement or change, extended metaphorically to persistence, stability, or continued existence. The general form reflects the combination of sub- “under, up to” with sisto “to stand.”

In classical Latin, subsisto is used in both literal and figurative contexts: to describe something coming to a stop, to place oneself in a fixed position, or to endure under difficulty. The term also yields related forms and compounds in Late Latin and medieval Latin, where derivatives such as subsistere (to endure, to persist) appear in a range of texts, including theological and legal writing. The verb’s usage broadened in later periods to cover ongoing existence or maintenance of a state, not just physical stasis.

In English, subsisto gives rise to the verb subsist and the noun subsistence, which carry the sense of existing or continuing in a state, as well as of supporting life or the bare minimum of existence. The Latin root also underpins related terms in vocabulary discussing stability, duration, and livelihood.

See also subsistence, subsist, subsistence farming, and subsistent.