Etymologically
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sustineo

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 15:23. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [sʊsˈtɪ.ne.oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [susˈtiː.ne.o][1]

Forms

sustineō (present infinitive sustinēre, perfect active sustinuī, supine sustentum); second conjugation[1] A Pompeian inscription has supstenet; the perfect and future participles seem not to be used.[2]

Etymology

It is from sub- “under, up” and teneō “to hold”.[2][1][3] The prefix has the form ⟨subs-⟩.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Plautus, of holding up a load.[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to hold up, support a load, as in Plautus, and in Ennius to maintain a state of things.[2] In Cicero it meant to keep a person from giving way, to withstand an attack, and to shoulder a task or cost.[2] In Ovid it meant to have the strength to do something, from Plautus to put up with an evil, and in Lucilius to hold back, check.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to endure, sustain, undergo, wait upon, support, maintain.[5] It survives in Italian sostenere, French soutenir and Spanish sostener, and through Old French it gave English sustain in the late 13th century.[1][3]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of holding up and enduring.[2][4]
  • 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of maintaining.[2][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of withstanding and shouldering.[2][4]
  • late 13th century – English sustain is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To hold up, support.[2]
  2. To maintain, preserve.[2]
  3. To sustain (a person); to withstand.[2]
  4. To shoulder (a task, a cost).[2]
  5. To have the strength (to do something).[2]
  6. To put up with, endure.[2]
  7. To hold back, check.[2]

Word family

  • sustentō
  • sustentus
  • sustinentia
  • sustinēbilis

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson