livelihood

noun

live·​li·​hood ˈlīv-lē-ˌhu̇d 

1

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

The villagers' main livelihood is fishing.

2

obsolete : the quality or state of being lively

Examples of livelihood in a Sentence

Many fishermen believe that the new regulations threaten their livelihoods.

Recent Examples on the Web

Send other things that are going to help improve the livelihood of everyday Memphians, instead of just scaring them back into the house. —Cleve R. Wootson Jr. The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 25 Mar. 2026

And because many employees view AI as a threat to their livelihoods, mandates tend to deepen that anxiety rather than dissolve it. —Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 25 Mar. 2026

Over decades, thousands of oil spills in the delta have forced communities to relocate at the expense of their agricultural livelihoods and culture. —Noo Saro-Wiwa, The Dial, 24 Mar. 2026

Migrations of these fish, like migrations of buffalo on the American plains once did, shape ecosystems, livelihoods and culture. —Zeb Hogan, The Conversation, 24 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for livelihood

• misunderstood
• unlikelihood
• adulthood
• babyhood
• brotherhood
• cottonwood
• fatherhood
• firewood
• fuelwood
• hardihood
• ironwood
• leatherwood

Kids Definition

livelihood

noun

live·​li·​hood ˈlīv-lē-ˌhu̇d 

: living entry 2 sense 3