livelihood

noun live·li·hood \ ˈlīv-lē-ˌhu̇d \

|Updated on: 15 Jun 2018

Examples: livelihood in a Sentence

Definition of livelihood

1 : means of support or subsistence (see subsistence 2)

The villagers' main livelihood is fishing.

2 obsolete : the quality or state of being lively

See livelihood defined for English-language learners

See livelihood defined for kids

Examples of livelihood in a Sentence

Many fishermen believe that the new regulations threaten their livelihoods.

Recent Examples of livelihood from the Web

Photo: Claudio Papapietro for The Wall Street Journal Mr. Cooper is responsible for the livelihood of 185 employees and the music education of 6,000 students, who range in age from infants to people in their 90s.

— anne kadet, WSJ, "Brooklyn Executive Ditches Banking Job to Lead Music School," 5 June 2018
Njobvu tells me every piece of jewelry sold supports the livelihood of locals, stretching even further than the women of Mulberry Mongoose by funding conservation in greater South Luangwa.

— National Geographic, "These Artists Are Making Jewelry to Help Protect Their Country's Wildlife," 17 May 2018
Individuals should be free to pursue the livelihood of their choice.

— The Economist, "The case against non-compete clauses," 17 May 2018
Incidents like this show how deeply racial bias continues to affect the livelihoods of black people in the United States.

— janay moore, Teen Vogue, "Texas Teen Zavion Parker Escaped an Alleged Abductor Who He Says Had an "I Hate Black People" Tattoo," 17 May 2018
Pai's opponents have said the rules are a necessary consumer protection as the internet has become more vital to supporting the economic livelihoods of everyday Americans.

— brian fung, Anchorage Daily News, "Senate approves bipartisan resolution to restore FCC net neutrality rules," 16 May 2018
Meanwhile, the editorial board of the New York Times published an op-ed about the devastating effects Uber and other ride-hailing apps have had on the livelihood of taxi drivers and on traffic.

— recode staff, Recode, "Recode Daily: Uber hires an exec for ‘safety culture’ after a fatal self-driving car crash," 8 May 2018
All systems can be abused, but people need to have a voice to protect themselves and their livelihoods.

— joshunda sanders, Longreads, "Who Sank El Faro? An Interview With Rachel Slade," 23 May 2018
Here, an American farmer and a steelworker explain how tariffs are impacting their livelihoods.

— greg ip, WSJ, "In Trade War With U.S., China Gets the Upper Hand," 22 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'livelihood.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of livelihood

alteration of Middle English livelode course of life, from Old English līflād, from līf + lād course — more at lode

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

LIVELIHOOD Defined for English Language Learners

livelihood

noun

Definition of livelihood for English Language Learners

: a way of earning money in order to live

LIVELIHOOD Defined for Kids

livelihood

noun live·li·hood \ ˈlīv-lē-ˌhu̇d \

Definition of livelihood for Students

: ²living 3

Learn More about livelihood

See words that rhyme with livelihood Spanish Central: Translation of livelihood Nglish: Translation of livelihood for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of livelihood for Arabic speakers

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livelihood

Definition of livelihood

Examples of livelihood in a Sentence

Recent Examples of livelihood from the Web

Origin and Etymology of livelihood

LIVELIHOOD Defined for English Language Learners

livelihood

Definition of livelihood for English Language Learners

LIVELIHOOD Defined for Kids

livelihood

Definition of livelihood for Students

Learn More about livelihood

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livelihood

Definition of livelihood

Examples of livelihood in a Sentence

Recent Examples of livelihood from the Web

Origin and Etymology of livelihood

LIVELIHOOD Defined for English Language Learners

livelihood

Definition of livelihood for English Language Learners

LIVELIHOOD Defined for Kids

livelihood

Definition of livelihood for Students

Learn More about livelihood

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