sustenta

Sustenta is the third-person singular present indicative form of the verb sustentar in Portuguese, and the corresponding form sustenta is used in Spanish as the third-person singular present of sustentar. In both languages, the verb means to support, uphold, or maintain something, either physically, financially, or conceptually. The etymology traces to Latin sustinere, meaning to hold up or endure, from sub- "under" + tenere "to hold."

In usage, sustenta appears in sentences such as "Esta política sustenta o crescimento econômico" (Portuguese) or "La política sustenta la economía" (Spanish), indicating that something provides support or justification for a policy, system, or argument. It can describe ongoing support (financial aid, structural backing) as well as ideological justification or moral basis. The noun sustento refers to support or sustenance; sustentação and sustentabilidade (Portuguese) or sustentabilidad (Spanish) relate to the broader idea of durability or sustainability.

In environmental and social policy, sustentar concepts relate to maintaining resources for future generations, hence the term sustainability is common in both languages. In business and law, sustenta can introduce claims about what underpins an agreement, program, or framework.

Sustenta is used in formal and semi-formal texts to denote support, justification, or maintenance. See also sustentar, sustentação, sustento, sustentabilidade.