sustinent

Sustinent is an English adjective that denotes something that sustains, supports, or provides nourishment. In contemporary writing it is rare and generally considered archaic or scholarly. The term is most often encountered in historical, religious, or philosophical texts, or in translations of Latin sources, where it serves as a direct rendering of Latin sustinēre forms or as a participial adjective.

Etymology: Sustinent derives from Latin sustinēre "to hold up, support," itself from sub- "under" and tenēre "to hold." It entered English via Old French sustenir and Middle English sustainen, with sustinent appearing in some older or highly specialized texts.

Usage: Because it is not common in modern English, sustinent tends to appear in glossaries, dictionaries, or scholarly writing. It can function attributively as an adjective meaning "providing sustenance or support" or appear in phrases that translate Latin sustinēre. In everyday English, sustaining, nourishing, or supportive are preferred.

See also: sustenance, sustaining, sustentation, sustentative.