noun
livelihood
LYV-lee-huud
noun
1
A means of earning enough to live on, such as a job, trade, or income source.
"Fishing is the main livelihood for people in the village."
"The factory closure threatened hundreds of livelihoods."
How to Use Livelihood
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishHow someone earns the money they need to live.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "lively" (energetic) — the words look similar but are unrelated in meaning.
Common pairings
earn a livelihood
lose one's livelihood
main livelihood
Word Forms
livelihoods plural
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Fishing is the main _____ for people in the village.
Etymology
From Old English līflād, literally "course of life," later reshaped under the influence of the word "lively."